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The Los Angeles Chargers are bringing back Trey Pipkins III on a two-year contract worth $10 million, a source told ESPN on Tuesday night.
Incentives could push the deal to $12 million, according to the source. The team confirmed Pipkins’ return on Wednesday but didn’t release the contract details.
This marks the fourth offensive line move the Chargers have made this offseason. They’ve already agreed to re-sign tackle Trevor Penning, brought in former Miami Dolphins guard Cole Strange on a two-year deal, and signed former Washington Commanders center Tyler Biadasz to a three-year contract.
Pipkins was supposed to serve as the swing tackle in 2025 – basically the backup who can step in at either tackle spot when needed.
But when Joe Alt went down with a season-ending injury, Pipkins got thrust into the starting right tackle job. The seven-year veteran has played every position on the offensive line except center, which gives the Chargers some much-needed flexibility up front.
He started at right guard in 2024 before the team signed Mekhi Becton that offseason to take over the spot. Pipkins missed four games last season with separate knee and ankle injuries; his performance wasn’t always consistent when he did play. Among tackles, he ranked 36th in pass block win rate at 90.2% and 63rd in run block win rate at 68.3%.
The Chargers released Becton this offseason.
Those 10 starts were Pipkins’ fewest since his third year in the league. His five false start penalties set a career high – not exactly the kind of record you want to own.
The Chargers selected him in the third round of the 2019 draft out of the University of Sioux Falls, a Division II school that doesn’t typically produce NFL linemen.
