Chargers dealt awful Joe Alt injury update after painful Week 3 loss

The LA Chargers suffered a quartet of impactful injuries in Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Quarterback Justin Herbert, edge rusher Joey Bosa, and tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt were all removed from the game at various points with various injuries.

Herbert's injury was a re-aggravation of his high ankle sprain, bringing up questions around whether or not it is worth it to play him in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs. With new information about the injuries around him, Chargers fans may have the answer to that question.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on Monday that Alt suffered a sprained MCL against the Steelers and will "miss some time". Alt will not require surgery to fix his sprained MCL and his recovery time will depend on the severity of the sprain.

Rapoport also reported that Rashawn Slater suffered a strained pec. Slater's injury does not appear to be as serious as Alt's but Rapoport did note that whoever starts at quarterback for the Chargers in Week 4 will likely be without both starting tackles. It seems unlikely that Slater will play.

Chargers injury updates could derail 2024 season

This is not what Chargers fans wanted to hear and this could actually derail the team's season. Not having Alt for a stretch of time is a massive loss for the Bolts, even though the team has the contingency of playing Trey Pipkins at right tackle and starting Jamaree Salyer at guard.

These issues are even worse without Slater, whose absence will likely kick Salyer out to tackle and force Jordan McFadden into the starting lineup. The Chargers have better depth than previous years but it still creates glaring issues.

Alt has been phenomenal thus far in his NFL career and has been the franchise tackle that was advertised heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. With Alt and Slater, the Chargers boasted arguably the best tackle duo in the sport. Without them, an already shaky interior offensive line is going to look even worse.

With the Chiefs on the schedule in Week 4 there is even more of a reason for the Bolts to rest Herbert and give him the extra week off with a bye in Week 5. The Chargers already have a slim chance of beating Kansas City with a compromised Herbert. Beating Kansas City with a compromised Herbert, and an injured offensive line, is even more far fetched.

In the best-case scenario, the Chargers can get Alt back in a month's time. In the worst-case scenario, it could be December until he is on the field again. As of right now, that timeline is unclear but it will become a big storyline for the team in 2024.