Former first-round OL attempting NFL comeback with Chargers

Alex Leatherwood has barely been seen on a game field since his one-season Raiders partnership ended. The former first-round pick, however, did spend last season on the Browns’ practice squad.

Cleveland did not retain Leatherwood, but the former Alabama blocker will receive another opportunity. The Chargers are bringing him in, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. Leatherwood last saw action as a Bears backup during the 2022 season.

It is difficult for a team to fare worse in a stretch with five first-round picks than the Raiders did during the Jon Gruden-Mike Mayock drafts. Of the players chosen from 2019-21, only one (Josh Jacobs) has been a regular starter. Henry Ruggs and Damon Arnette are out of the league, while Johnathan Abram has bounced around as a backup. Clelin Ferrell stabilized his career, to a degree, as a 49ers starter on a low-cost deal in 2023. The Saints and Commanders, respectively, signed Abram and Ferrell to one-year deals this offseason. Leatherwood became the quickest of those Raider first-rounders to wash out with his original NFL team.

Criticized for what was widely labeled a reach pick by selecting Leatherwood 17th overall in 2021, the Raiders used their first-rounder as a starting guard during their playoff campaign. The team moved Leatherwood inside quickly, but the Josh McDaniels-led coaching staff kicked him back outside during the 2022 offseason. No trade partner emerged, and the Raiders waived Leatherwood. The Bears took on the former Crimson Tide starter’s contract, but a mononucleosis bout stalled his rebound opportunity. Leatherwood played 32 offensive snaps for the Bears in 2022 and did not make Chicago’s 53-man roster last year.

It will be interesting to see if a year learning under acclaimed O-line coach Bill Callahan will benefit Leatherwood, who is going into his age-25 season. The Chargers hired ex-Ravens assistant Mike Devlin as their O-line coach. He will be tasked with continuing Leatherwood’s development.

The Bolts are set at tackle, having drafted Joe Alt to go with Rashawn Slater, and they are planning to see how displaced RT Trey Pipkins looks at guard. The team rosters Zion Johnson as its other guard starter. Jamaree Salyer, who worked as a starting guard last year after filling in for Slater as a rookie, also remains on the now-Jim Harbaugh-led roster. At this stage, Leatherwood profiles as a backup candidate. He joins Foster Sarell, 2021 fifth-rounder Brenden Jaimes, 2023 fifth-rounder Jordan McFadden and a host of rookie UDFAs as Bolts backup options.