The Los Angeles Chargers are reshuffling their offensive line in 2025, experimenting with a notable position switch: moving former first-round pick Zion Johnson to center and sliding veteran Bradley Bozeman out to left guard, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic.
Bozeman has held a starting center role in the NFL for much of the past four seasons. While dependable, he’s never placed among the league’s elite at the position. That reality, coupled with Johnson’s underwhelming performance at left guard, has prompted the Chargers to try a new combination in search of better line cohesion.
Los Angeles Chargers Shuffling Offensive Line
Originally drafted by the Ravens in 2018, Bozeman began his career as a backup center. In his second season, he was bumped out to left guard to earn a starting role. He returned to center in the final year of his rookie deal before signing with the Panthers in free agency. Initially a backup to Pat Elflein, Bozeman stepped in after a season-ending injury to the starter and impressed enough to earn a three-year, $18 million extension. Carolina, however, released him after just one season. The Chargers picked him up and, like Carolina, offered him an extension after his first year with the team.
Johnson, meanwhile, has started since his rookie season but has yet to meet expectations tied to his first-round draft status. He’s been serviceable but not a standout at left guard, and the transition to center could be a chance to unlock more of his potential. For Bozeman, a move back to guard is familiar territory — and could be a better fit at this stage of his career.
The hope in Los Angeles is that the switch benefits both players and strengthens the interior line. With Mekhi Becton expected to improve the right guard spot and standout tackles Rashawn Slater and rookie Joe Alt anchoring the edges, the Chargers are banking on this adjustment leading to more consistency and protection up front.
While it’s unclear whether the shift will be permanent, the Chargers are clearly open to experimentation in pursuit of better results from a line that’s struggled with inconsistency in recent years.
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