Full Breakdown
Chargers and Raiders Face Key Position Battles Ahead of 2026 Training Camp
6/22/2026, 9:08:03 AM
Preseason Timeline and Training Camp Preparations
NFL teams have completed organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps and will reconvene for training camp near the end of July, though exact reporting dates have not been announced for either the Los Angeles Chargers or the Las Vegas Raiders. The preseason opens with the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, Aug. 6, featuring the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals on NBC. Subsequent first-week games run Aug. 13-15, Week 2 spans Aug. 20-23, and Week 3 occurs Aug. 27-29.
Offensive Line Vacancy Spurs Competition for Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers must replace first-round pick Zion Johnson, a 6-foot-3, 316-pound guard who logged 1,130 offensive snaps in 2023, allowing 29 pressures, 17 hurries, and five sacks. Three candidates contend for the role. Veteran tackle Trevor Penning, 27, enters camp as the presumed favorite after 33 NFL starts and a snap history of 1,081 at right tackle, 511 at left tackle, 358 at left guard, and 90 at right guard. Former Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles lineman Kayode Awosika brings guard experience with 615 snaps at left guard and 358 at right guard over five seasons. Rookie Jake Slaughter, a second-round pick in the 2026 draft, rounds out the group; the Chargers also selected OT Travis Burke, OG Logan Taylor, and OG Alex Harkey.
Defensive Tackle Depth Chart Under Review for Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders’ defensive tackle rotation featured Adam Butler, Thomas Booker IV, and Jonah Laulu in 2023, each posting comparable production. Laulu recorded 51 tackles, eight for loss, four sacks, and five passes defended. Butler contributed 50 tackles, three for loss, one sack, and one forced fumble. Booker added 44 tackles, five passes defended, one for loss, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. The three-player rotation proved functional last season, but Tonka Hemingway’s arrival adds a potential wild-card challenger for the interior line.
Strategic Implications of the Battles
Both teams view the contested positions as pivotal. The Chargers consider the left-guard vacancy a major concern, citing Johnson’s 1,130 snaps in 2023 and the 29 pressures, 17 hurries, and five sacks he allowed, underscoring the need for reliable protection. The Raiders deem the defensive-tackle battle significant, noting that the three-player rotation functioned well last season but that Tonka Hemingway’s arrival introduces a potential wild-card challenger for interior play.
Upcoming Milestones
Both franchises will report to training camp in late July, followed by the first preseason contest on Aug. 6. The outcomes of the guard and defensive tackle competitions will become clearer during camp practices and the three weeks of preseason games leading up to the regular season kickoff.
