Chargers' $30 Million Center Tyler Biadasz Carted Off With Left Knee Injury vs. 49ers

The Chargers' offensive line took another hit Tuesday in El Segundo, and this one landed on their most expensive fix from the offseason.

Starting center Tyler Biadasz was carted off the field during a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers after 49ers defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez fell on his left knee during 11-on-11 work, according to ESPN's Kris Rhim. Biadasz could not put any weight on the leg and needed help getting onto the cart, both Rhim and the NYT reported. Justin Herbert and other teammates came over to check on him before he left the field, according to Fernando Ramirez of The Sporting Tribune.

No team has announced a diagnosis or timeline as of Tuesday afternoon.

Biadasz signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Chargers this offseason after two seasons in Washington, and league sources and multiple outlets, including Heavy and BoltBeat, described the signing as the centerpiece of a broader plan to fix an offensive line that let Justin Herbert get sacked 54 times last season, third-most in the NFL. He was brought in to replace Bradley Bozeman, who retired after 2025 and was rated the league's worst center by Pro Football Focus.

The fit mattered beyond raw talent. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel specifically built his scheme around a center who can operate in space. "He's a player that we think — specifically with the nuances and tools we give the center in both run and pass that are a little unique — we think his skillset really plays with what we like to do," McDaniel said of Biadasz earlier this offseason.

Biadasz had been durable throughout his career, missing just nine games across six seasons and starting every game he's played in since 2021, according to BoltBeat. That track record is part of why Tuesday's injury stung more than a typical camp tweak.

Rookie second-round pick Jake Slaughter immediately stepped in with the first team at center, working with Herbert for the rest of practice, the New York Times reported. Slaughter played center exclusively at Florida and has spent training camp bouncing between center and left guard. Multiple outlets, including Sports Illustrated, noted that if Biadasz is out for any real length of time, it scrambles the Chargers' entire competition at left guard, since Slaughter had also been in the mix there before Tuesday.

The bigger picture is ugly for a team with real Super Bowl aspirations. Left tackle Rashawn Slater is still not back at practice. First-round pick Ahkeem Mesidor and receiver Tre Harris have also been dealing with injuries this offseason, according to Heavy. BoltBeat's blunt assessment: with Slater out and now Biadasz down, "the Chargers offensive line is now down two of their three best starters." Cole Strange, another free-agent addition, has reportedly locked down the right guard spot, meaning the left guard battle and now the center spot are both up in the air heading into the regular season.

Tuesday's practice was rough for the Chargers beyond the offensive line, too. Edge rusher Kyle Kennard limped off with a trainer, and receiver Quentin Johnston came up limping after attempting a sideline catch, both according to Rhim's reporting. Neither injury has been given a severity update either.

Reporters on-site could see Biadasz couldn't put weight on the leg, which is never a good sign, but no MRI results or official team statement had surfaced as of Tuesday afternoon. Speculating about torn ligaments or season-ending status before the Chargers say anything would be getting ahead of the facts.

Last season, the Chargers lost Slater to a season-ending injury before the year even started, then lost starting tackle Joe Alt during the season, and pass protection was a problem all year, according to NBC Sports. General manager Joe Hortiz spent the offseason specifically trying to avoid a repeat of that story by paying $30 million for a durable, well-regarded center. If Biadasz is out for an extended stretch, the Chargers will be leaning on a rookie at the position in Week 1, which is exactly the outcome the front office paid to prevent.

The Chargers have not released an MRI result, injury designation, or practice status update for Biadasz as of Tuesday. Head coach Jim Harbaugh is expected to address the injury at his next media availability.