Greg Roman on Chargers' Joe Alt Facing Maxx Crosby: 'I Don't Think He's Going to Blink'

Valentina Martinez | Sep 5, 2024

Aug 17, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt (76) defends against Los Angeles Rams linebacker Zach VanValkenburg (51) in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman believes rookie Joe Alt won't cave when he faces defensive end Maxx Crosby.

"Yeah, I mean, I don't think he's going to blink at anything," Roman told reporters on Thursday. "There's going to be things that come up for everybody. Football is an imperfect game, and you try to be perfect but there are going to be things that come up, and you got to be able to fix them and move on and adjust. I don't think he's going to be too wide-eyed at anything. You know, he's the kind of guy that if something happens, he'll come back and talk through it, reason it out, and figure out a solution. And those are the guys that generally continue to ascend."

Along with Roman, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh views offensive linemen as weapons. The Bolts chose to use their first pick of the 2024 NFL draft on Alt, a testament to the coaching staff's philosophy about offensive linemen.

Despite being the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, Alt competes as a seasoned right tackle. He played 55 snaps in two preseason contests with the Chargers.

In his first two NFL games, Alt posted a pass blocking efficiency of 98.2, according to Pro Football Focus.

His best preseason performance was against cross-town rivals the Los Angeles Rams. He recorded an 80.7 pass-blocking grade and didn't allow one single pressure in 15 pass-blocking snaps. From his performance against the Rams, Alt was the fourth-highest graded first-round pick from Week 2 of the preseason, according to PFF.

The rookie offensive tackle allowed just one pressure in 30 protection reps. Standing at 6-foot-8, Alt has the ability to make an impact in the run game.

The Chargers were ranked the league's worst run-blocking offensive line, but the Harbaugh regime made an investment in drafting Alt with the team's first overall pick in order to revamp the offensive line.

Although he is just 21-years-old, Alt is slated to be one of the big playmakers in Los Angeles.

The Notre Dame product has proven he is a good fit in Los Angeles. He plays opposite of Rashawn Slater and the duo has already had impressive performances in the preseason. Slater was also a Chargers' first-round pick.

Alt and Slater have the potential to develop into one of the most talented tackle duos throughout the league.

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