LA Chargers fans were dealt a surprising blow on Tuesday when it was announced that J.C. Jackson had surgery on his ankle and would miss 2-4 weeks as a result. With the timing of the announcement and how it was handled, there was some worry that this could be bigger than the team was leading on.
Luckily, Brandon Staley gave fans a clearer picture on Wednesday when talking to reporters. Per The Athletic's Daniel Popper, Jackson first felt something in his ankle two and a half weeks ago and opted to get the surgery now for his own comfort. The procedure is considered minor and Jackson's return time is based more so on how quickly the wound from the surgery heals.
Brandon Staley on 2-4 week timetable for J.C. Jackson: "All it depends on is how fast the wound heals. So when the wound heals, he’ll be back out there. ...If the wound heals quickly, it could be on the low side. If it takes a little bit of time, it could be the high side."
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) August 24, 2022
This is perhaps the best news that the LA Chargers could have given about J.C. Jackson's injury. If this is indeed the case and it is more so a comfort thing for Jackson then fans do not have to worry about a long-term injury nor Jackson missing a lot of time.
Based on how Staley described the procedure, it did not seem like something that Jackson necessarily had to have and instead was something that he pushed for just to be on the safer side. If this happened right before the playoffs, chances are they wait it out until the playoffs are over.
J.C. Jackson could definitely return for the Chargers in Week 1 against the Raiders.
Nothing is a guarantee for Jackson and the Chargers but this update makes it much more likely that Jackson will make his Chargers debut in Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Like Staley said, it all depends on the wound healing but it seemingly should be ready to go barring any setbacks.
This is not a case where Jackson has a lingering injury that Staley and co. are going to be cautious on. Based on the information that has been provided, Jackson seemingly should be ready to go at full strength as soon as that wound heals. No need to ease the ankle into anything and be slow about it. If he is ready, he is ready.
At the very least, Jackson should be able to return in Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs. It is a short week between Week 1 and 2 but with the team just waiting on the wound to heal, the chance of being ready in that small window is much larger.
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Regardless, this was fantastic news for any Chargers fan that was worried that this was a bigger issue than the team was leading on.