Chargers news: J.C. Jackson absent from injury report, on pace to return vs Dolphins

Ahead of a polarizing Week 1 matchup against the Miami Dolphins, the LA Chargers released its first injury report for the entire season on Wednesday and it was the shortest-looking injury report that fans can remember for quite some time.

Rookie linebacker Daiyan Henley was the only player who did not participate while third-year edge rusher Chris Rumph was limited. Those were the only two names on the injury report for the Chargers, making star cornerback J.C. Jackson a very noticeable absence.

Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins had five players on the injury report who were either limited or did not participate. Star left tackle Terron Armstead did not practice, as it is looking less and less likely that he can play on Sunday.

J.C. Jackson is on pace to return for the Chargers in Week 1 against the Dolphins

Jackson's recovery from a torn Patellar tendon last season has gone much smoother than expected. Jackson suffered the injury in Week 7 of last season and many thought that he would be out for at least a year. It seemed possible that Jackson could miss over half of the 2023 season.

After weeks of positive buzz, Jackson confirmed that he was ahead of schedule by being a full participant in practice at the start of Chargers training camp. However, Jackson suffered a setback in his recovery at the beginning of August, which brought fans back down to Earth.

The fact that Jackson was not listed at all indicates that he is going to be good to go for the Chargers on Sunday. The team still could have put him on the injury report as a full participant. Los Angeles didn't even do that.

It is still possible that Jackson could be on a snap count as he gets back into NFL speed. There is no reason to push it early on in the season, especially when the Chargers have a deep secondary that has proven it can stop Miami's defense without him. Fans may only see Jackson for half of the defensive snaps in Week 1 but that is still far more than fans expected six months ago.

This makes the Bolts an even tougher team for the Dolphins to come up against. Brandon Staley already shut down the Dolphins last season with a laundry list of players on the injury report. With only two players on the injury report now, it could be even uglier for Miami.