Chargers OC Greg Roman on how head coach Jim Harbaugh will help Joe Alt progress

Greg Roman sees how Jim Harbaugh's plan will have Joe Alt ready to roll by Week 1 of the season

COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA - MAY 20: Joe Alt #76 runs a drill during a Los Angeles Chargers OTA offseason workout on May 20, 2024 in Costa Mesa, California. / (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The last time that Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman were on the same staff they put together one of the NFL's most unique offensive playbooks (Madden '12 shoutout). While much of the league was moving towards a pass-heavy attack, they went in another direction while guiding the 49ers. Predicated on dominating up front, the pair looked to control the ball and let their running backs and tight ends do the heavy lifting rather than the wide receivers. To do that effectively, they needed a strong offensive line.

So it should come as no surprise that's what they're trying to do again, this time with the Chargers.

With their first draft pick of the Harbaugh era the Chargers selected Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt, who was generally considere the number one offensive line prospect in the class of 2024. Alt played left tackle for the Fighting Irish but in the NFL he'll be starting at right tackle opposite Rashawn Slater. That's not necessarily an easy transition to make, even for a lineman as large as Alt, who checked in at 6-foot-9, 321 pounds at the Scouting Combine.

Good news: Roman says Alt is stacking days and working hard and he sees Harbaugh's schedule setting him up to keep on getting better. Watch.

joe alt szn pic.twitter.com/t5xRupd9Rk

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) July 25, 2024

While it's no guarantee of success Alt's incredible size will definitely help him transition to the NFL, and he received very high grades from Pro Football Focus for his work at the college level. Both in 2022 and 2023 he posted an overall grade above 90.0. His mark of 90.7 last season was the highest in the nation at his position.