Forrest Lamp missed his entire rookie season after suffering a torn ACL, but the Chargers guard is also recovering from a second knee operation, according to Steve Wyche of NFL.com (Twitter link). While details on the second procedure are slim, it did prevent Lamp from being medically cleared from football activity.
The most recent surgery shouldn’t limit Lamp going forward or place any restrictions on his sophomore campaign, however. Los Angeles had coach Anthony Lynn tells Wyche that Lamp should be medically cleared “soon,” at which point the former second-round pick will likely be installed as a starter. Lamp is expected to line up at right guard opposite fellow 2017 rookie Dan Feeney, who made nine starts a season ago.
Lamp, 24, was widely viewed as a first-round pick coming out of Western Kentucky last year, but he eventually slipped to 38th overall. A versatile athlete capable of playing all over the offensive line, Lamp spent his collegiate career at tackle before shifting to guard in the NFL. In his pre-draft profile of Lamp, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com labelled the 6’4″, 309-pounder an “effective counter-puncher” who “processes quickly when [the] defense runs games up front.”
While the Chargers have expressed optimism regarding Lamp’s health issues, knee injuries are never a cut-and-dry affair. Los Angeles has several options along the interior if Lamp isn’t ready to go for Week 1, including Spencer Pulley, Michael Schofield, and fifth-round rookie Scott Quessenberry.