In a surprising turn of events for the Los Angeles Chargers, newly signed Alex Leatherwood may be on the chopping block after a disappointing preseason performance. Can he salvage his career before it’s too late?
The Chargers have been going through significant changes since the departure of Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco, with General Manager Joe Hortiz making bold moves to revamp the team. This shift in management style has been a welcome change for Chargers fans who were accustomed to a more passive approach in previous years.
Heading into the 2021 draft, Leatherwood was originally projected to be a day two pick, but to everyone’s surprise, he was chosen as the #17 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders. Unfortunately, his stint with the Raiders was marred by underperformance, leading to his eventual release from the team.
Leatherwood’s struggles continued as he bounced around the league, making brief appearances with teams like the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. However, the Chargers saw potential in the former first-round pick and decided to give him a shot by signing him to their 90-man roster.
Since joining the Chargers, Leatherwood has been competing for the second-team offensive tackle position, showing flashes of promise but failing to live up to expectations. However, everything changed during the preseason game against the Seahawks, where Leatherwood’s performance was abysmal, recording multiple pressures and a disappointing pass-blocking grade.
In light of his poor showing, Leatherwood was demoted to the third-team offense, signaling that his time with the Chargers could be coming to an end. As undrafted rookie Tyler McLellan steps up to take his place, Leatherwood faces a crucial moment in his career where he must prove that he can turn things around in the remaining preseason games.
The pressure is on for Leatherwood to show significant improvement and convince the coaching staff that he deserves a spot on the roster. Otherwise, he may find himself cut from the team sooner than he anticipated. Can Leatherwood rise to the occasion and silence his critics? Only time will tell.
