The Los Angeles Chargers are making bold adjustments to their offensive line heading into the 2025 season, testing a position switch that moves former first-round pick Zion Johnson to center and veteran Bradley Bozeman to left guard, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.
On Tuesday, Popper posted pictures from the Chargers’ training center where Johnson was seen snapping the ball to Justin Herbert. While it’s far too early to know what the final decision will be, the first steps of the process are officially underway.
A similar experiment occurred across town with the Los Angeles Rams, who moved their left guard, Steve Avila, to center. Despite practicing that configuration throughout training camp, the Rams ultimately pivoted to Jonah Jackson — and neither player ended up as the starting center through the regular season.
Los Angeles Chargers Reshuffle Offensive Line, Shift Zion Johnson to Center in 2025 Experiment
The move reflects a desire to improve cohesion and production along the interior line. Bozeman, a reliable but unspectacular presence at center throughout much of the last four seasons, now returns to left guard — a position he played early in his career with the Ravens.
Meanwhile, Johnson, drafted 17th overall in 2022, has been a steady but underwhelming presence at guard. The Chargers hope the switch to center might unlock more of the upside they envisioned when drafting him.
With standout tackles Rashawn Slater and rookie Joe Alt holding down the edges, and Mekhi Becton expected to shore up the right guard spot, the Chargers are counting on a more stable and effective front five.
While it remains to be seen whether the shuffle becomes permanent, this alignment reflects head coach Jim Harbaugh’s willingness to adapt — and his commitment to building a more physical, cohesive unit in front of quarterback Justin Herbert.
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