The opening crawl from any Star Wars movie might be shorter than the teams' current injury report. The teams' final injury report lists 13 players as questionable, doubtful, or OUT. And that's without the recent placement of LT Rashawn Slater on IR following ankle surgery.
Players questionable for Sunday include TE Charlie Kolar (forearm), TE Scott Matlock (foot), WR Ladd McConkey (foot), OG Branson Taylor (neck), and CB Rodney Shelley (hamstring). Taylor and Matlock would have to be officially activated off of IR tomorrow in order to play on Sunday. That would require the team shuffling around some roster spots. McConkey's status as questionable is interesting considering he was a DNP in practice all three days.
When it rains, it pours in terms of Chargers injuries.
QB Trey Lance is listed as doubtful with a groin injury. The OUT list for the Chargers includes RT Joe Alt (neck), WR Quentin Johnston (chest), LG Kayode Awosika (fibula), CB Donte Jackson (hamstring), S Derwin James Jr. (hamstring), LG Trevor Penning (concussion), WR Brenen Thompson (quad).
The Chargers placed Rashawn Slater on IR after tightrope surgery. Harbaugh said his surgery was successful. He'll be out at least four weeks, but the Chargers opting for the tightrope ankle procedure means they intend to bring him back this season.
The Chargers look like they'll approach the offensive line similarly to how they ended last week's game, although that could be complicated with the possible activation of Branson Taylor off of IR. But it looks like we'll see Travis Burke and Logan Taylor at the tackle spots again. Jake Slaughter and Jacob Spomer would play LG and C respectively unless the Chargers opt to put Branson Taylor at LG instead. Cole Strange would start at RG.
The wide receiver room injuries clearly pave the way for Tre' Harris' momentum to continue. Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh confirmed that Johnston suffered a chest injury in Seattle that will keep him out this week. McConkey was a DNP all week in practice with a foot injury-he is listed as questionable. Harris has 189 yards in his last three games as one of the few Chargers WR options that isn't "working through something".
But in any event, this injury list is just bonkers. No Joe Alt, Rashawn Slater, Derwin James, or Ladd McConkey is the likely reality for the Chargers this week. Their first four games have been an indictment on both roster management and the coaching staff. But at this point, they're just running out of bodies to be able to put on the field. One could imagine that Sean Payton and the Broncos smell blood in the water.
If there was ever a time for the coaching staff and/or Justin Herbert to buy a game they have no business winning roster-wise, it would be now. But it just feels like the Chargers are dealing with too much attrition at basically every position to win this game.
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