The Chargers picked up a small but meaningful bit of relief at tight end on Wednesday, and they also added another piece to the offense as they head into a crucial Week 3 trip to Buffalo.
According to Chargers ESPN reporter Kris Rhim, Charlie Kolar will not be placed on injured reserve after surgery earlier in the week changed his prognosis. Kolar still won’t play this week, but the update gives Los Angeles a better outlook than it had when he was initially placed on the IR earlier in the week. For a team trying to steady itself after a rough start, that kind of news matters.
The timing is important, too. The Chargers are preparing for a road matchup against the Buffalo Bills with the hope of getting into the win column.
If they come up short again, they could fall to 0-3 and be in serious danger of missing the postseason. Health is going to be a big part of any turnaround, and Kolar’s situation now looks less severe than first feared.
That matters even more with David Njoku out. Los Angeles still has Oronde Gadsden, who has the ability to be a top target at tight end, so the group still has a chance to hold together in both the run game and the passing game. Getting Kolar back in the coming weeks would only strengthen that position further.
The Chargers also made a move at wide receiver, signing Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the active roster from the practice squad, per head coach Jim Harbaugh, as Rhim reported.
It’s a logical add given how the receiver room has looked so far. Outside of Ladd McConkey, production has been hard to find, with Quentin Johnston and Tre' Harris both struggling to find consistent footing on the perimeter for Justin Herbert. McConkey is also dealing with an injury that limited him in Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders, which only increases the need for another option.
Valdes-Scantling brings a different skill set. Last season, he posted 14 catches for 120 yards and one touchdown across five games with the San Francisco 49ers and five games with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Over the course of his career, he has been a perimeter threat who can work after the catch and also stretch the field for explosive plays.
How the Chargers choose to use him will be worth watching as they try to stabilize the offense and get moving in the right direction.
In Other News...
Chargers Defense Is Already Making A Veteran's Role A Flashpoint
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Chris OLearys decision to bench Donte Jackson in Week 2 underscored how quickly things can shift for a veteran who was a strong part of last seasons defense. Jacksons snaps have already been trimmed as the Chargers try to sort out their rotation, and OLeary has made the standard plain: playing time goes to the best performers. For a team still searching for its footing, that makes Jacksons place in the mix one of the more interesting questions on the defense right now. [Read more 🡒]
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Herbert said the focus has to be on moving forward and cleaning up the mistakes that have piled up early. With a demanding schedule still ahead, the Chargers do not have much room for drift, and the scrutiny around their quarterbacks voice is only going to grow if the losing continues. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Head Into Bills Game With A Problem They Can't Hide
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Los Angeles has already started trying to patch things together by adding depth, signing tight end Hayden Rucci and wide receiver Marquez Valdez-Scantling. It is the kind of roster juggling that usually says a lot about where a team stands in September, and for the Chargers, the bigger question now is how many of those injured players can realistically get right in time to face one of the AFCs more demanding tests. [Read more 🡒]