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Los Angeles Chargers News & Rumors

Keenan Allen Expected To Miss Rest Of Preseason

August 17th, 2019 at 3:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

A semblance of past injury-related storm clouds are creeping onto the Chargers’ radar. Derwin James may be an IR-return candidate, and one of the contending team’s other top players will miss time as well.

Keenan Allen is expected to miss the remainder of the Bolts’ preseason slate, with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reporting (via Twitter) the Pro Bowl wide receiver suffered an ankle injury in practice this week. This marks the second setback Allen has suffered during camp. The seventh-year wideout also ran into knee trouble during the Chargers’ joint practices with the Rams, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper (on Twitter).

This being the Chargers, who have lost several key players to severe early-season injuries in recent years, concern is natural. But Schefter cautions Allen’s ankle ailment is not considered serious. He is expected to be ready in time for the team’s opener against the Colts.

Allen has done well to shake the injury concerns that plagued his mid-2010s run. He missed 23 games between the 2015 and ’16 seasons, the latter instance because of a Week 1 ACL tear. With Tyrell Williams now gone, the Bolts’ receiving corps is now thinner and would be less equipped to withstand an Allen absence. But the 27-year-old standout has not missed a game over the past two seasons.

Derwin James To Undergo Surgery, Miss Extended Time

August 17th, 2019 at 12:14pm CST by cwcrouse

Chargers safety Derwin James will undergo surgery on his foot and is expected to miss roughly three months of action, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network (Twitter link). It’s a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot, as we passed along on Friday. The injury occurred during practice earlier this week.

The team should have a firmer timeline after the surgery, though a mid-November return appears to be the most optimistic scenario. The surgery will be performed by ankle specialist Robert Anderson. Anderson is on the NFL’s Injury and Safety Panel.

James started all 16 games for the Chargers last season after the team drafted him in the first round out of Florida State. He was a strong candidate for the NFL’s Defensive Rookie Of The Year award last season, notching 105 tackles while adding 3.5 sacks.

“We’re going to miss him a lot,” Lynn said after the injury. “But we’re a team. We have a good team and we have guys that will step up, and we’ll be fine.

Chargers’ Derwin James Suffers Injury

August 16th, 2019 at 3:11pm CST by Zachary Links

Chargers safety Derwin James suffered a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal of his right foot, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The injury occurred during Thursday’s practice and may sideline him for a significant period of time.

James has been spotted in a boot, according to Rapoport, and Dr. David J. Chao (Twitter link) estimates that he will miss a minimum of six weeks. The more likely scenario, he says, is at least a couple of months, making him a candidate to be placed on IR and designated for return later on.

James made a name for himself immediately at Florida State when he tallied 91 total tackles and 4.5 sacks as a true freshman. A knee injury cost him the bulk of his sophomore year, but he returned in his final year at FSU to register 84 tackles, two interceptions, eleven passes defended, and a sack. Coming off of that performance, the Bolts used the No. 17 pick to select the safety.

Last year, the 23-year-old started in all 16 games for the Chargers and notched 105 total tackles and 3.5 sacks. Without James, the Chargers’ secondary will take a hit, though coach Anthony Lynn seems prepared to fill the void internally.

“We’re going to miss him a lot,” Lynn told reporters. “But we’re a team. We have a good team and we have guys that will step up, and we’ll be fine.”

No Extension For Chargers’ Philip Rivers?

August 16th, 2019 at 12:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers will likely play out the final year of his contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears. Both sides are “in agreement” that Rivers will probably wind up playing out his deal and addressing his status after the 2019 season, when his deal expires. 

Rivers, who will turn 38 this year, has started in every game for the Bolts since 2006. Currently, he’s scheduled to earn $16MM in the final year of his four-year, $83.25MM extension. That was a significant deal at the time of signing, but the market has advanced significantly for QBs.

Meanwhile, the Bolts are without a true Plan B. The Chargers have looked into taking a QB high in the draft for years, but they have not selected a signal caller in the top three rounds since 2006.

There’s no reason for the Chargers to sweat it, at least, not yet. The Patriots and star Tom Brady are in a similar boat, with the superstar set for free agency after the ’19 season thanks to two void years in his newly-revised deal.

Chargers, Melvin Gordon Have Not Made Progress

August 15th, 2019 at 6:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers and running back Melvin Gordon have not made progress on a new contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Per Schefter, Gordon still wants to return for Week 1 of the regular season, but will sit out if no deal is reached.

As Dan Graziano of ESPN.com recently explained, Gordon can’t sit out the entire season — or at least, he can’t if he wants to become a free agent next spring. If Gordon doesn’t report by November 29, he won’t be eligible to play during the 2019 campaign. At that point, his contract would toll: his $5.605MM salary would simply carry over to 2020, and he’d remain under the contractual control of the Chargers.

Gordon has both said that he’d like to remain with Los Angeles and formally requested a trade. Meanwhile, “mounting pessimism” exists that Gordon and the Chargers will strike any sort of deal before the regular season gets underway. The Chargers are reportedly offering Gordon something in the neighborhood of $10MM annually, but the former first-round pick is looking for an additional $2-3MM per season.

Gordon, 26, has averaged 907 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground during his four-year career. He’s averaged 46 catches, 395 yards, and three scores via the passing game during that same timeframe. The Wisconsin product was named to the Pro Bowl in both 2016 and 2018.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/14/19

August 14th, 2019 at 5:01pm CST by Rory Parks

Here are today’s minor moves, which will be updated throughout the night:

Cincinnati Bengals

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/19

August 13th, 2019 at 6:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the night.

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Waived: TE Nick Truesdell

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/12/19

August 12th, 2019 at 8:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: DE Thomas Costigan
  • Waived/injured: TE Andrew Vollert

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

AFC Notes: Stidham, Jags, Browns, Bolts

August 10th, 2019 at 4:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Tom Brady continuing to play at a high level into his early 40s has allowed the Patriots to table their need to identify a long-term successor for many years, their recent extension/2019 pay raise brings this issue back to the forefront. The Pats, however, are pleased with their latest quarterback draft pick. Fourth-round rookie Jarrett Stidham has “blown away expectations” this offseason, Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes (subscription required), adding that he is ahead of where Jimmy Garoppolo was at this point during his first NFL summer. Stidham has taken first-team reps in camp and moved the Patriots to move Danny Etling to wide receiver. He finished 14-for-24 for 179 yards and a touchdown in New England’s preseason opener Thursday. While the Auburn alum does not profile as a classic Brady successor type, the Patriots certainly appear encouraged by their developmental prospect.

As we wind down preseason Week 1, here is the latest from the AFC:

  • A.J. Cann has served as the Jaguars‘ starting right guard since his rookie season in 2015. He is not a lock to reprise his role in 2019. Cann is battling converted tackle Will Richardson for the spot, with Doug Marrone indicating (via Hays Carlyon of 1010 XL, on Twitter) Brandon Thomas is also in the mix here. A 2018 fourth-rounder, Richardson looks like the favorite to win this job thus far, Carlyon adds (via Twitter). Richardson has yet to play an NFL down; he hit IR in October of his rookie year. Thomas has hung around for six NFL summers, with the 2014 third-round 49ers pick having never played in a regular-season game. He’s bounced on and off the Jaguars’ roster and practice squad since 2017. Cann has three years remaining on a contract he signed in 2018.
  • With Cam Robinson potentially set to have a delayed start to the season, Marrone said the Jaguars are considering free agent additions Cedric Ogbuehi and Leonard Wester at left tackle. Longtime Jags backup Josh Wells is vying for that temp job as well. Second-round rookie Jawaan Taylor is set to start at right tackle.
  • Had Antonio Callaway not received a four-game suspension, the second-year Browns wideout might not have been able to go in Week 1 anyway. Callaway suffered a high ankle sprain in Cleveland’s preseason opener, per Freddie Kitchens (via ohio.com’s Nate Ulrich, on Twitter). The Browns will now be without two of their 2018 pass catchers, with Duke Johnson having been traded and Callaway out until at least October. Fortunately, they acquired Odell Beckham Jr. this offseason.
  • Chargers tight end Andrew Vollert suffered ACL damage in the team’s preseason opener, and Anthony Lynn said (via ESPN.com’s Eric Williams, on Twitter) the second-year UDFA will miss the season. The Bolts signed Vollert in May.

Bolts Not Serious About Trading Melvin Gordon

August 4th, 2019 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chargers are holding firm on their approximate $10MM-per-year offer to Melvin Gordon, and the fifth-year running back moved to request a trade. But with the market for running backs not exactly booming, the Bolts do not appear to believe they will get the value they would seek in a trade, Albert Breer of SI.com notes (on Twitter). This is understandable, given the state of the running back position’s state in the modern game and Gordon’s injury history. He has missed time due to maladies in three of his four seasons, including 2018. Chargers backup Austin Ekeler led the team last season with 5.2 yards per carry (on 106 totes); the third-year back and 2018 seventh-rounder Justin Jackson sit atop the Bolts’ depth chart without Gordon.

  • Russell Okung‘s uncertain situation has led the Chargers to try guard Forrest Lamp at left tackle, Breer tweets. Lamp has not yet lived up to his second-round draft status, seeing a rookie-year ACL tear impact his career. However, the third-year guard may have a future at tackle. Although, that would leave Los Angeles’ guard group thinner. The Bolts are experimenting with various personnel up front, arguably their weakest area.
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