Chargers Place Pro Bowl Tackle Slater on IR

The Chargers placed Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater on injured reserve Friday. He will miss at least four games after surgery for a high-ankle sprain to his right ankle suffered in Sunday's 30-23 loss to Seattle. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network said the procedure was a tightrope meant to speed recovery. The earliest return is Week 10, Nov. 16 at Baltimore on Monday Night Football. Local reports said the team announced surgery Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, with rehab starting immediately; NBC Sports reported the surgery on Friday. Slater missed all of 2025 with a torn patellar tendon from training camp and much of 2022 with a torn biceps. His 2025 absence was cited as one reason Justin Herbert was sacked a career-high 54 times last season. Rookie Logan Taylor replaced Slater. Alt (neck) and Penning (concussion) also went down in the second half, leaving four rookies on the line at the end. Tyler Biadasz had already been lost to a season-ending knee injury in an August joint practice with the 49ers.