The LA Chargers continue to confront the injury bug head-on during training camp as yet another star player has suffered an injury. Joey Bosa went down with an apparent hand/wrist injury during Sunday's joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams and was unable to complete the practice.
At the time of writing, there have been no additional updates for Bosa, who is coming off consecutive injury-riddled seasons with the Bolts. The Bosa injury is yet another discouraging update around the Chargers coming just days after Justin Herbert was put in a walking put with a plantar fascia injury.
With over a month until the start of the season, there is hope that Bosa's injury can be remedied in time for Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders. In the best-case scenario, Bosa will only miss practice time with the Bolts and will be able to return to game action as soon as possible.
Regardless of when Bosa can return to action, him potentially being out of the fold does have a positive impact on one specific Chargers player. During a time in the football calendar when jobs are won and lost, fourth-year edge rusher Chris Rumph II may benefit from Bosa's injury.
Joey Bosa's injury may save Chris Rumph's job on the Chargers
Bosa being out of the fold — even if there is a plan to return before the regular season — is going to create more opportunities for Rumph to prove himself to the new Chargers coaching staff. Rumph will now get more looks with the first-team defense in practice to go along with the preseason, which will certainly be a proving ground for him.
The fourth-year edge rusher really has not accomplished much in the NFL and his place on the Chargers is up in the air. It is easy to overlook Rumph in a stacked edge-rusher room that includes Bosa, Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree, the last of which was signed late in free agency, signaling a potential lack of confidence in Rumph.
Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter was very complimentary of Rumph before the Bosa injury, which is a step in the right direction for the unproven edge rusher. However, just because Minter said positive things about Rumph this early on does not mean a roster spot is secure. Carrying five edge rushers is uncommon, especially when the first four are as talented as they are.
It goes without saying that if Bosa is forced to miss time during the regular season that Rumph will have an obvious, clear path to making the 53-man roster. But even if Bosa returns, the additional time Rumph gets in practice during his absence could make a difference.
If he makes the most of it, Rumph could convince the Chargers' coaching staff to keep him over a rotational interior defensive lineman.