Rashawn Slater's 4-year, $114M deal with Chargers further enriches Howie Roseman's genius

USA Today

5 days ago

Lane Johnson is now the 7th highest-paid offensive tackle in the NFL, and Jordan Mailata is No. 8 after Rashawn Slater's 4-year, $114M Deal with the Chargers
The #Chargers are finalizing a blockbuster extension with standout OT Rashawn Slater, per The Insiders, locking in one of their best young players.Slater gets a 4-year, $114M deal to make him the highest-paid tackle in a deal done by Patrick Collins and Tommy Condon of CAA. pic.twitter.com/o8PF4ijjHf
Howie Roseman stays ahead of the curve, so that his star players won't feel left behind when their peers around the NFL sign new deals. Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson are All-Pros and two of the league's most dominant players. Still, Johnson is now the 7th highest-paid offensive tackle in the NFL, and Jordan Mailata is No. 8 after Rashawn Slater's 4-year, $114 million Deal with the Chargers.
The $28.5 million per year makes Slater the highest-paid offensive lineman by average annual pay in a contract in NFL history. Slater has been extension-eligible since last offseason, but general manager Joe Hortiz and the Chargers chose to wait. In contrast, others at his position in his 2021 draft class signed lucrative extensions, including the Detroit Lions' Penei Sewell (4 years, $112 million, $85 million guaranteed) and Minnesota Vikings' Christian Darrisaw (4 years, $104 million, $67 million guaranteed).
Left Tackles
Right Tackles
Since being selected by Los Angeles in the first round (13th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft, Slater has started all 52 career appearances at left tackle, serving as the blind-side protector for quarterback Justin Herbert. In 2024, he started 16 games, including the postseason, helping keep Herbert upright for the offense to commit just eight turnovers, setting a franchise record and tying for the second-fewest offensive turnovers in a single season in NFL history.
As a rookie in 2021, Slater started all 16 appearances at left tackle, earning second-team All-Pro status from The Associated Press. Slater was also named the starting left tackle for the AFC in the Pro Bowl, becoming the first rookie tackle to be named an all-star since 2012.
Philadelphia got its stars under contract for the foreseeable future, and at a bargain.
Mailata's 85.5 PFF overall grade in Week 17 led all offensive tackles, and he's the highest-graded offensive tackle in the NFL (95.8). Mailata leads the NFL in run blocking grade (94.9), and he's second in pass blocking (91.7), according to PFF.
Last season, Johnson ranked 1st among NFL right tackles in PFF pass-blocking grade (88.1), pressure percentage (2.2%), and knockdown percentage (0.2%). He allowed zero sacks and one quarterback hit in 451 pass-blocking snaps.