The Chargers took care of one of their free agents on Tuesday when they agreed to a three-year extension with right tackle Trey Pipkins, a source confirmed.
Pipkins came into his own last season with the Chargers as he was called upon to be a starter after winning the job in training camp. He started in 14 games last season and showed improvement from previous years.
He dealt with an MCL injury that slowed him down at times, but clearly, he was a priority for the Chargers to bring back. According to ESPN’s Adam Caplan, it is a three-year deal worth $21.25 million.
“I don’t want to be anywhere else,” Pipkins said in January. “I’ve gotten real comfortable here. I feel at home here. Love the guys, love the coaches.”
The Chargers drafted Pipkins in 2019 in the third round out of Sioux Falls. It took time for the young offensive lineman to develop. He struggled when given play time during his first three seasons.
Pipkins is the perfect example of the philosophy that general manager Tom Telesco preaches: to draft players, develop them, and then pay them.
“I think there’s so many things, a lot of coaches have gone into it,” Pipkins said about his development in January. “A lot of training in the offseason and honestly just the confidence that I’ve built with myself, I think the more I got to play, the more confidence I got and the more it solidified that ‘I can do this, I’m good at this.'”
This return of Pipkins means the Chargers will, as of right now, have their offensive line from last season back in 2023. Things could change on the offensive line, but they have their right tackle back.
