Ex-GM Tom Telesco speaks on state of Chargers' OL ahead of offseason

In the past five NFL drafts, the Chargers have used three first-round picks on an offensive lineman. It's unclear whether that trend will continue in 2026.

Former Chargers general manager Tom Telesco unveiled his thoughts on the team investing in another offensive lineman this offseason.

"You have to build a balanced team, and you can’t just only focus on one position group. But this year is different with the Chargers. You have to protect your franchise quarterback," Telesco said to Betway Insider.

"Zion Johnson is a free agent, so we’ll see if they can retain him or not. He’s turned into a really good player for them, but you only have so many resources in the offseason in terms of draft picks and cap money. They’re going to have to allocate a good amount of resources to the interior offensive line."

The Chargers will have to address the absence of Bradley Bozeman, who announced his retirement from the NFL earlier this month.

"I’m a big believer that your center drives everything up front. He’s the second quarterback of the offense. They make the run game go, and they control everything in pass protection," Telesco said.

"You’re also going to want to make sure you back yourselves up with a third tackle who you can win with. Easier said than done. They’re hard to find, but you’re going to have to probably put some resources into your backup tackle to make sure you’re not in the same position you were this past year."

While the Chargers have seemingly focused on the offensive line frequently in the past five years, the team doesn't seem to have much choice but to do so again, given the current state of the unit.

Joe Hortiz Prioritizing Help for Justin Herbert This Offseason

Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz has made it abundantly clear the Chargers are focused on helping their franchise quarterback, whether that means strengthening the offensive line or adding more weapons for Herbert's arsenal.

"We're going to attack the O-line, we're going to attack the defense, we're going to attack the backs and tight ends, everything," Hortiz said. "The more weapons and more players we can put around Justin, the better we protect Justin."

This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: How should Chargers address offensive line? Former GM sounds off