The Chargers are heading into Week 5 in rough shape, and the injury list only makes a bad situation look worse.
Los Angeles takes its 0-4 record into Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos with both starting tackles, Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, expected to miss the matchup. Wide receiver Ladd McConkey is also in question after not practicing on Wednesday because of what the team is calling a foot injury.
Slater is dealing with a high-ankle sprain, while Alt’s issue is with his neck. For now, there are no plans to place Alt on IR.
Losing both tackles would be a major problem for any team, but it lands especially hard for a Chargers offensive line that has already struggled on the interior. That sets up a difficult afternoon for Justin Herbert, who could be staring at even more pressure against a Broncos defense that has played very well.
The bigger picture for Los Angeles is ugly. Through four games, the Chargers are averaging just 16.8 points per game, which ranks 28th in the league. The offense has been held back by inconsistency at the skill positions, shaky line play, and Herbert’s own rough start.
Herbert enters Sunday with a 28.0 QBR, one of the lowest marks in the NFL. The only quarterback with a worse QBR is Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray, who sits at 27.6.
With two more offensive linemen and a top pass-catcher potentially out of the mix, the Chargers are facing a steep climb just to keep their offense functional against Denver.
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Marvin Harrison Jr.s uneven start to his NFL career has already made him a speculative name in league-wide trade chatter, and the Chargers are one of the teams that naturally pop up because of the need for more upside at wide receiver. The appeal is obvious: a former top prospect who could look very different in a new environment, especially in an offense that might be able to put him in better positions to succeed.
For the Chargers, though, this is not a simple talent grab. Any real pursuit would come with risk, since Harrisons value around the league is still tied to projection as much as production, and the price would have to make sense for a team trying to balance urgency with caution. Whether the Chargers would be willing to take that swing is the question worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Face A Bigger Problem Up Front Before Broncos Game
Joe Alts neck injury is shaping up to be the next concern for the Chargers as they head into a quick turnaround and a divisional date with the Broncos. Alt was hurt last week and is now rehabbing, a setback that leaves Los Angeles waiting on one of its most important pieces up front while the line continues to deal with a wave of other injuries.
The encouraging part for the Chargers is that Alt is not expected to land on injured reserve, so this does not sound like a long-term shutdown. Even so, his likely absence adds more uncertainty to a group already juggling health issues as it tries to get through Week 5 and Week 6 without the protection problems piling up any further. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers' Veteran Core Just Became A Real Trade Deadline Debate
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Derwin James is a very different kind of discussion. He just signed a major extension, which makes the idea of dealing him far more complicated and far more revealing about where the Chargers think this season is headed. If the losses keep piling up, the real question may not be whether Los Angeles can get interest in its veterans, but whether it is willing to treat every call as a serious rebuild decision. [Read more 🡒]