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FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 28: Rashawn Slater #70 of the Los Angeles Chargers lines up against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 28, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks welcome the Los Angeles Chargers come to Lumen Field in Week 4, and one of the more intriguing battles will be along the line of scrimmage.
That’s where Chargers left tackle Rashawn Slater comes in.
Chargers.com’s Omar Navarro identified Slater as one of three Los Angeles players to watch against Seattle, specifically pointing toward his looming work against Seahawks edge rushers Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall.
The pair has combined for 18 pressures through Seattle’s first three games, according to the Chargers. They also have five run stops, giving Slater a challenge that will go past keeping defenders away from quarterback Justin Herbert.
Seahawks Edge Duo Gets Marquee Matchup With Slater
GettyINGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 20: Rashawn Slater #70 of the Los Angeles Chargers in action against the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Seattle’s ability to create disruption without constantly sending extra rushers has remained one of the strengths of Mike Macdonald’s defense.
The Chargers noted that the Seahawks entered Week 4 third in the NFL in EPA per play allowed despite hovering around league average in blitz percentage. Seattle also ranked inside the top 10 in total pressures, quarterback hits, interceptions, passer rating allowed and fewest explosive runs surrendered.
Slater figures to see much of Nwosu and Hall because Seattle has deployed both predominantly on his side of the formation.
That matchup brings some cash-related tonnage.
Slater signed a four-year, $114 million extension with $92 million guaranteed in July 2025. The agreement made the two-time Pro Bowler the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman by average annual value at the time.
Less than two weeks later, Slater tore his patellar tendon in training camp and missed the season. He spent roughly 300 days rehabbing before returning to the practice field this offseason, a process he detailed to Chargers.com during organized team activities.
The starting numbers have been encouraging. Pro Football Focus has Slater graded at 76.1 overall and 77.8 as a run blocker through 191 offensive snaps. He has surrendered six pressures, including one sack and one quarterback hit.
Seattle’s Depth Can Keep Pressure on Chargers Tackles
GettyINGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 01: Maxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders reacts as he is guarded by Rashawn Slater #70and Zion Johnson #77 of the Los Angeles Chargersduring a 24-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 01, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Beating Slater once or twice would only be part of the sum for the Seahawks.
Seattle’s defensive philosophy relies heavily on keeping its front fresh and moving pieces around, something the Chargers have identified as a potential complication for their offensive line.
Los Angeles also has Joe Alt protecting the opposite edge, affording the Chargers one of the league’s more talented tackle pairings.
The doubt for Los Angeles resides inside. PFF dropped the Chargers’ offensive line to No. 18 in its rankings after Week 3 and noted that each of their three interior starters posted a pass-blocking grade below 50.0 against Buffalo. Alt, meanwhile, did not allow a pressure on 43 pass-blocking snaps.
Assuming Nwosu and Hall can create problems against Los Angeles’ premier blocker without Macdonald having to devote extra bodies to the rush, the Seahawks could have more freedom to attack the Chargers’ weaker spots elsewhere.
Seattle has made its intentions on the edge clear. The team’s outside linebackers spoke earlier this season about making physical run defense a defining part of the group’s identity, with Nwosu and Hall coming off prominent roles during last season’s Super Bowl run.
Slater now provides the kind of individual matchup that can trial that group on both downs.
Duncan Day is a sports contributor for Heavy. He has covered NFL, NBA, hockey and soccer for various outlets, including NBC Sports, Boston.com, USA TODAY, Forbes, Bleacher Report, The Dallas Morning News and more. More about Duncan Day