The Chargers’ first injury report of the season didn’t take long to deliver a few uneasy notes.
With Los Angeles set to open 2026 against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in Week 1, the team released its first official report and listed several names with issues that hadn’t been previously made public. Starting edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu, cornerback Deane Leonard and safety RJ Mickens all showed up on the report with new injuries.
That group joined running back Keaton Mitchell and wide receiver Brenen Thompson, who had already been known to be dealing with something, as Jim Harbaugh likes to put it. Mitchell is working through a hamstring injury, and that’s the kind of issue that can be especially tricky for a speed back. Even if he’s available, the bigger question is how fully he can trust it and whether there’s any real risk of a setback.
Tuipulotu’s appearance is notable because he’s been an iron man through his first three NFL seasons. He was limited with a hip injury, which at least suggests the Chargers aren’t staring at something major just yet. Mickens was also limited, with an ankle injury, and Los Angeles does have depth at safety if he can’t go in Week 1.
The bigger long-term concern may be in the secondary. For all the offseason questions the Chargers faced, the one that still stands out is cornerback depth.
Los Angeles did not replace departed free agent Benjamin St. Juste, and the room behind Tarheeb Still, Donte Jackson and Cam Hart is full of question marks.
Leonard’s situation matters because he isn’t just a key special teamer - he’s also an elite gunner and was lined up as the fourth cornerback on the roster. Undrafted rookie Rodney Shelley is the only other corner on the 53-man roster, and Leonard opened the week with a did not practice designation. That’s something the Chargers will need to monitor closely.
If Leonard can’t play, Shelley could be pushed into an active role and might also take on gunner duties. Rookie practice squad running back Greg Desrosiers is another option there, since he can help as a gunner too. With Mitchell also working back from a hamstring injury, Desrosiers could be a candidate for a call-up this week.
By choosing not to add another corner after St. Juste’s departure, the Chargers left themselves light at a spot that may already be tested right away.
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Chargers Just Settled A Key Justin Herbert Protection Question
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Jim Harbaugh confirmed the move, but the full picture along the interior line still feels open enough to keep watching. The coach also suggested the Chargers could continue mixing and matching different combinations, which means Awosikas role may be settled for now without necessarily closing the book on how the front five will ultimately look. [Read more 🡒]