SAN DIEGO -- Left tackle Max Starks agreed to a one-year contract with the San Diego Chargers to help protect Philip Rivers' blind side.
Starks, who is 6-foot-8 and 345 pounds, spent his first nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played every offensive snap for the Steelers last year despite tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the Steelers' playoff loss at Denver the previous season.
Starks moves into the starting left tackle spot for San Diego, which has had a porous line the last two years. San Diego signed King Dunlap earlier this offseason and released Jared Gaither, who was injured most of last season and had work ethic issues.
Rivers was sacked 49 times last season, and being under siege much of the time contributed to his 22 turnovers. Rivers has committed 47 turnovers in the last two seasons.
Starks won two Super Bowl rings with Pittsburgh, starting at right tackle against Seattle in 2006 and starting at left tackle against Arizona in 2009.
Starks has started 96 of 123 regular-season games played and made eight starts in 10 playoff games.
Also Tuesday, the Chargers released tackle Kevin Haslam.
