The Chargers are heading into Sunday’s Week 1 meeting with the Cardinals with most of their injury situation looking manageable, but one name is standing out as the week moves along: Deane Leonard.
As of Thursday afternoon, Los Angeles listed the same six players it had on Wednesday: edge rushers Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu, cornerback Deane Leonard, safety RJ Mickens, wide receiver Brenen Thompson, and running back Keaton Mitchell.
For several of those players, the trend is encouraging. Tuipulotu, Thompson, and Mitchell were limited on both Wednesday and Thursday while dealing with hip injuries for Tuipulotu and Thompson and a hamstring issue for Mitchell. That at least keeps them in the mix as they ramp up toward Sunday afternoon.
Mickens also appears to be moving in the right direction. He was limited on Wednesday because of an ankle injury, then upgraded to a full participant on Thursday, which is a strong sign for the Chargers’ secondary.
Mack followed a similar path, though his Wednesday absence was just a veteran rest day. He returned as a full participant on Thursday, a reassuring development for a player the Chargers will want available against Arizona.
Leonard is the one situation that looks more uneasy. He has been dealing with an abdomen injury and did not practice on either Wednesday or Thursday. That puts him in a much tougher spot than the rest of the group and raises the possibility that he could miss Sunday’s game.
If Leonard can’t go, Los Angeles may need to look at bringing someone up from the practice squad to help with cornerback depth and special teams work.
Overall, the Chargers seem to be in decent shape entering the opener, with Mack, Tuipulotu, Thompson, Mitchell, and Mickens trending favorably. Leonard, though, remains the player to watch when Friday’s report comes out.
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