Chargers News: LA'S OT Pushed Through 2022 Injuries and It Paid Off

Always worth it once the payday comes.

One of the more important re-signings the Chargers made at the start of free agency was none other than Trey Pipkins III. The 26-year-old served as a huge piece of their offense in his first four seasons with Los Angeles and has seamlessly fit in as their right tackle.

The Bolts have kept a close eye on him through the years and seen that he usually makes good on his promise. He successfully completed his mission in 2022 to become a starter and also got right back in the weight room after he inked his new deal. This makes Pipkins even more important to the squad moving forward and, in my opinion, makes his $21 million extension a steal.

However, it is easy to forget that despite Pipkins returning to the Bolts and being a big part of their future, his time with them wasn't always certain. He racked up quite the injury history since getting drafted in 2019 and LA wasn't sure how he would respond to the lingering issues.

📰 CHARGERS NEWS: Chargers RT Trey Pipkins will be out with a knee injury. #Chargers | #NFL pic.twitter.com/lga38dOSdj

— The Majors LA 🌴 (@TheMajorsLA) November 14, 2022

In just 2022 alone, the former Bison was listed questionable or out in six games. However, he would fight through and only miss four of those and it ended being very beneficial for him. Not only did he help the Chargers reach the playoffs but he also had his best season yet.

Pipkins made sure that very few defenders could break their line and get to Justin Herbert as he kept both quarterback hits and sacks in the single digits. He plays true to his size and makes sure that any defensive lineman that tries to get through has to deal with him first. 

A sprained knee was the most notable injury that he suffered last season but the front office also kept an eye on him as he did everything he could to stay on the field despite recovering. Pipkins may not be the most flashy player but his mindset and toughness are two things they hope are contagious to the rest of the squad in 2023.