Chargers dealt a pair of potentially major injury scares in 49ers matchup

The Los Angeles Chargers suffered a major blow in their joint practice earlier this week against the San Francisco 49ers when Tyler Biadasz went down with what appears to be a serious ACL injury. We don't yet have a concrete update on Biadasz's status, but the buzz around the league is that he's suffered a long-term injury.

Quentin Johnston and Kyle Kennard also walked off the field with trainers in practice on Tuesday.

For every team across the NFL, the goal for the preseason is clear. Beyond seeing advancements in the context of the scheme and testing the mettle of the players on the edges of the roster— every team wants to escape the preseason without having suffered any major injuries. The Chargers made it almost three whole weeks before the bug struck.

Now, rookie wide receiver Brenen Thompson has exited the field after the Chargers' first drive of the second quarter in their preseason matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. He went to the blue medical tent after a collision while running a route. Then, on the next drive, Branson Taylor went down after entering the game at guard with a reported issue with his right arm/shoulder.

At this point, neither of these are absences Los Angeles can afford.

Brenen Thompson and Branson Taylor both exit the 49ers matchup with injuries

Thompson has been the flashier and more exciting player during camp, but both of these pieces have potentially major roles to play for the Chargers this season.

Thompson, who was selected in the fourth round fo the 2026 NFL Draft by the Chargers, won't have a chance to crack Los Angeles' top trio of receivers this season. Ladd McConkey, Johnston, and Tre' Harris are already cemented as the top pass catching weapons in Mike McDaniel's offense. But McDaniel knows how to utilize speed, and Thompson has it in spadefuls.

Thompson also has the catch-point skill set and the route-running nuance to serve as a weapon both in the slot and on the outside. At the very least, he'll be a valuable tool to help keep the defense honest on the back end over the course of the season.

Taylor, meanwhile, looked completely transformed in training camp after he appeared in just one game last season— looking more physical and athletic on almost a day-to-day basis. The coaching staff quickly expressed their excitement at his development, and it seemed as though he had a real chance to win the starting left guard job, especially when Biadasz's injury forced Jake Slaughter to move over to center.

Between the two, Taylor's injury seems more serious. But we likely won't have any concrete updates until after the game at the earliest. Hopefully, these two players aren't tacked on to the Chargers' growing pile of ailments.

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