The Los Angeles Chargers are headed into a critical AFC West matchup with a major hole on the offensive line.
Joe Alt is expected to sit out Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos because of a neck injury, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport. Rapoport reported on Wednesday: “Chargers Pro Bowl OT Joe Alt is expected to miss this Sunday’s game against the Broncos with a neck injury, sources say. Alt continues to rehab the injury suffered last week at Seattle, and there are no plans for IR,”
Alt had a strong rookie season with the Chargers, but injuries have followed him since then. He was limited to only six games last season, though he had played in every game for Los Angeles this year before getting hurt.
The timing is rough for a team already dealing with plenty of absences. Seven other Chargers players did not practice on Wednesday, including Derwin James, Khalil Mack, and Rashawn Slater.
Los Angeles is still searching for its first win of the 2026 season, and the pressure is starting to build. The Chargers want to get back on track, make the playoffs, and stay in the Super Bowl conversation, but they’ve put themselves in a difficult spot early. Now they have to find a way through the injuries and try to generate some momentum.
The Broncos game comes in the Sunday evening window in Week 5, and the Chargers follow that up with a Week 6 meeting against the Kansas City Chiefs.
In Other News...
Chargers Trade Buzz Says One Bold Move Could Save This Offense
A 0-4 start has turned the Chargers offense into the focus of the seasons early frustration, and the gap between preseason expectations and what has shown up on Sundays has been hard to ignore. Bleacher Report floated a possible fix, suggesting Los Angeles could try to swing a trade for Marvin Harrison Jr. from the Cardinals in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick, a move aimed at adding the kind of talent this unit has lacked.
It is the sort of idea that instantly grabs attention because of what the Chargers need and what a receiver of Harrisons caliber would represent for the offense. For now, though, it remains a speculative proposal rather than a concrete path, leaving the bigger question hanging over how aggressive Los Angeles might be in trying to salvage a slow-starting season. [Read more 🡒]
Khalil Mack Trade Buzz Is Suddenly A Chargers Problem
With the Chargers stuck at 0-4, the early-season frustration is already spilling beyond their own locker room and into the trade rumor cycle. CBS analyst Kyle Long, who once played for the Bears, floated the idea that Chicago could try to strengthen its Super Bowl case by bringing back Khalil Mack, the former Bears edge rusher now in Los Angeles.
Mack remains one of the leagues most recognizable pass rushers, a nine-time Pro Bowler whose four seasons in Chicago still resonate with Bears fans and evaluators alike. For the Chargers, the talk is another reminder that a slow start can turn even a proven veteran into a speculative trade chip, though there has been no official move or indication that anything is imminent. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Suddenly Face A Harbaugh Question Fans Never Wanted
The Chargers rough start has turned what was supposed to be a reset around Jim Harbaugh into an uncomfortable conversation about how much patience still remains. An 0-4 record will do that, especially for a coach brought in to steady a franchise that has spent years looking for consistency. Instead of early optimism, the season has quickly shifted to criticism, with Harbaugh taking heat for the teams play and for a public dustup with a reporter that only added to the noise.
The bigger concern is that the questions are no longer limited to one bad stretch. Justin Herberts recent dip has become part of the debate, and some around the league point to injuries and front office decisions as major factors in the mess. Even so, the Chargers margin for error has vanished, and if the results do not turn soon, the discussion around Harbaugh may move from speculation to something much harder to avoid. [Read more 🡒]