The Los Angeles Chargers are absolutely battered heading into their Week Five matchup against the Broncos. They’re going to be without a whopping seven starters on both sides of the ball, which means some serious shuffling and a lot of new faces hitting the field this weekend.
The Injury Report Is a Who’s Who of “Who’s Out?”
Let’s just rip off the band-aid, because this list is brutal. Safety Derwin James is out for his second straight game, after missing last week’s contest here in Seattle. That means we’ll see Tony Jefferson starting again. Right tackle Joe Alt is also sidelined, opening the door wide open for rookie Travis Burke to snag his first NFL start. But wait, there’s more! Wide receiver Quentin Johnston is out, as is rookie receiver Brenen Thompson. On the offensive line, guard Kayode Awosika and Trevor Penning are both out. And in the secondary, cornerback Donte Jackson won’t be suiting up. That’s a huge hit to their depth, especially with how many key guys are missing.
Rookies Galore, Especially Up Front
With Johnston and Thompson out, the Chargers are gonna be leaning heavily on a limited Ladd McConkey, plus Tre’ Harris, Derius Davis, and Marquez Valdez-Scantling to try and carry the load at receiver. Tight end Charlie Kolar might make his return, he’s questionable, which would be a huge relief if he can go.
But the real gut punch might be up front. On top of the already out Joe Alt, Kayode Awosika, and Trevor Penning, they’ve got some other guys questionable. Fullback Scott Matlock, offensive guard Branson Taylor, and cornerback Rodney Shelley are all listed as questionable. If Branson Taylor, who’s a second-year veteran, can’t play at left guard, things could get wild. They’d likely be forced to start *four* rookies on the offensive line: one at left tackle, one at left guard, one at center, and one at right tackle. Can you even imagine that? Protecting Justin Herbert with that many first-year guys is a recipe for some serious chaos. If Taylor *does* play, he’d at least provide some experience between Slaughter and the presumed starting center, Logan Taylor, on Herbert’s blindside. Talk about high stakes for their offense!
This Week Five game against the Broncos is going to be a true test of depth for the Chargers. With so many key starters out and rookies potentially taking over the entire offensive line, we’re definitely going to see what they’re really made of. Keep an eye on that O-line, because it could be a wild ride.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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