Another Chargers season largely defined by injuries saw another player set to venture toward IR. Jerry Attaochu broke his foot in the Bolts’ victory over the Texans and will miss the rest of the season, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
The third-year outside linebacker broke his right foot when it was caught in the turf at NRG Stadium during San Diego’s 21-13 road win. He joins a sizable contingent of Chargers who have been ruled out for the season. It’s the ninth game during which an injury sufficient enough for a Charger to be declared done for 2016 occurred.
Keenan Allen, Danny Woodhead, Jason Verrett, Manti Te’o, Dexter McCluster and Brandon Mebane highlight this list, which makes for the second straight year of rampant injuries for the Chargers, who have battled to a 5-6 record despite the throng of unavailable key talent.
Attaochu did not build on a successful 2015 campaign, though, and already missed three games with a high-ankle sprain. The former second-round pick notched six sacks last season but came up with only two this fall. The Georgia Tech product served as a near-full-time starter for the ’15 Bolts, breaking with the first unit in 12 games. This season, Kyle Emanuel usurped him in the lineup, relegating Attaochu to an off-the-bench role save for one game. Attaochu’s recorded just two sacks and saw action in just 178 snaps.
Emanuel profiles as a run-stopper and does not have a sack this season. Fourth-year player Tourek Williams figures to see more work as a result of this latest setback.