Update: Chargers head coach Brandon Staley says Corey Linsley missed practice for "vet days" . Linsley returned to practice on Thursday.
Training camp, preseason and now roster cuts are all in the books. The next hurdle for the LA Chargers to cross is Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season, as the Bolts will be hosting the Las Vegas Raiders to kickstart one of the most anticipated seasons in franchise history.
This first game is extremely exciting not just because it is against the rivaled Raiders and because it is the first taste of Chargers football in eight months. It is even more exciting because of all the new pieces, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. This is the first real taste of the 2022 Chargers that fans will get.
The only concern is that the Bolts could be without an extremely important player in that first matchup in All-Pro center, Corey Linsley. While there is plenty of time for Linsley to get healthy for the matchup, fans can't help but be concerned with Linsley missing practice due to something that is injury related.
Corey Linsley is not at practice. He walked off yesterday after stretching with head athletic trainer Damon Mitchell. Something to monitor.
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) August 31, 2022
Not having Corey Linsley in Week 1 would be devastating for the LA Chargers.
Centers don't often get the credit they deserve for what they do on the offensive side of the ball and not having Linsley for this Week 1 matchup would have massive repercussions on the game itself. While the Chargers will still be favored against the Raiders and their horrible defense, it does make it harder for the team to succeed.
Linsley's cadence with Justin Herbert simply cannot be replicated with backup center Will Clapp and as the leader of the offensive line, the unit as a whole will take a hit with Linsley not out there. Luckily the Raiders are not the most explosive team on the interior defensive line but the lack of Linsley would still be felt.
For the most part, the Chargers have stayed pretty healthy (knocks on wood) and are not dealing with many big injuries as we head into the 2022 season. J.C. Jackson might end up missing a game or two after his foot surgery but it does not appear to be all that serious. Outside of that, the big-name players on the Bolts have stayed healthy.
Hopefully, that can continue to be the case for Linsley. There are 10 days from the time he missed practice to Week 1 against the Raiders and he is not someone who needs to put in a ton of reps the week before to do his job. Rest up, get healthy and get ready for the Raiders in Week 1.
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That is all we can hope for at this point.