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Los Angeles Chargers News & Rumors

NFL Waiver Priority Now Based On 2016 Record

September 27th, 2016 at 2:15pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re coming up on Week 4 of the NFL season and that means that waiver claim priority will be based on the current league standings instead of last year’s. Of course, waiver priority is based on the inverted NFL standings, which have built in tiebreakers to sort out the many logjams that naturally occur.

Throughout the offseason and the first three weeks of the regular season, the Titans enjoyed top priority thanks to their 3-13 finish last year. Now, we have a brand new pecking order. Here is a full rundown of the current waiver claim priority, which will change from week to week:

1. Jaguars
2. Saints
3. Bears
4. Browns
5. Chargers
6. Lions
7. Jets
8. Cardinals
9. Bills
10. Colts
11. Dolphins
12. 49ers
13. Buccaneers
14. Bengals
15. Titans
16. Redskins
17. Panthers
18. Falcons
19. Cowboys
20. Giants
21. Raiders
22. Packers
23. Chiefs
24. Rams
25. Seahawks
26. Texans
27. Steelers
28. Ravens
29. Eagles
30. Broncos
31. Vikings
32. Patriots

Gates’ Injury May Cost Him More Games

September 26th, 2016 at 9:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Antonio Gates received a doubtful designation last week and did not play in the Chargers’ Week 3 loss to the Colts. He could be set to miss more time.

Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (via Twitter) the future Hall of Fame tight end was not close to playing in Indianapolis.

Gehlken points out Hunter Henry played 59 snaps last week and should expect a big workload again in Week 4, hinting at the 36-year-old Gates needing a multi-game absence to recover from the hamstring malady that’s currently restricting him.

Gates’ history with nagging injuries has not kept him out of many games in recent years. The 13th-year Charger missed four contests because of a PED suspension last season and one due to injury. He played in at least 15 from 2012-14.

Gates signed a two-year, $11MM deal with $6MM guaranteed this offseason, one that saw Ladarius Green depart for Pittsburgh. Green has yet to play for the Steelers through three games. Seven touchdown receptions away from breaking Tony Gonzalez‘s record for tight end receiving scores, Gates has six catches for 35 yards this season. He has 105 career touchdown grabs, which ranks seventh all-time.

A second-round rookie, Henry caught five passes for 76 yards against the Colts. Sean McGrath and Asante Cleveland, whom the Bolts recently promoted from their practice squad due to Gates’ malady, are the team’s only other tight ends.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Chargers Sign RB Andre Williams To Practice Squad

September 26th, 2016 at 6:59pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chargers signed running back Andre Williams to the practice squad, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Williams was dropped from the Bolts’ active roster over the weekend. Andre Williams (vertical)

On Saturday, the Chargers opted to promote tight end Asante Cleveland from the practice squad and dropped Williams in order to make room. Despite having some success as a member of the Giants, Williams passed through waivers unclaimed, allowing him to stay in sunny San Diego.

In 2014, Williams racked up more than 700 rushing yards, but he was not as effective in 2015 for the G-Men. Still, Williams is a physical runner with experience and someone the Chargers can call on if they are hit by the injury bug again. The Chargers have already lost Branden Oliver and Danny Woodhead for the year.

 Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Manti Te’o Suffers Torn Achilles

September 26th, 2016 at 10:02am CST by Zachary Links

Chargers linebacker Manti Te’o has suffered a torn Achilles, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes. Linebacker Manti Te’o went down with a non-contact injury on Sunday against the Colts and an MRI today confirmed the team’s worst fears. Te’o will be placed on season-ending IR. Manti Te'o (vertical)

Te’o opened the season with a bang as he racked up ten tackles against the Chiefs. Things seemed to be pointing to a productive year for the 25-year-old, but his season has ended prematurely instead.

Te’o, the 38th overall pick in the 2013 draft, is no stanger to the injury bug. As a rookie in 2013, Te’o suffered a foot injury in the preseason which sidelined him for the first part of the regular season. In the following year, the linebacker missed six games due to a foot fracture. Last year, Te’o missed four games as the result of an ankle injury.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Chargers Fear Te'o Ruptured Achilles

September 25th, 2016 at 9:18pm CST by Sam Robinson
  •  The Chargers fear starting inside linebacker Manti Te’o tore his Achilles’ tendon, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (on Twitter). He will undergo testing on Monday to determine the severity of the injury that forced him out of the Chargers’ Week 3 loss to the Colts, Gehlken tweets. One of the Bolts’ captains, Te’o was beginning a contract year that would lose steam if he’s no longer able to play this season. The 2013 second-round pick has made 34 starts for the Chargers since his rookie season. An injury to the former Notre Dame standout would likely thrust rookie fifth-rounder Jatavis Brown into the lineup.

Chargers Waive Andre Williams

September 24th, 2016 at 3:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Danny Woodhead and Branden Oliver‘s injuries and the team’s apparent need for running backs notwithstanding, the Chargers waived Andre Williams, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter).

The Chargers addressed another area of need with the roster spot, promoting Asante Cleveland from their practice squad. Antonio Gates is doubtful to play on Sunday with a hamstring injury.

Williams, who will return to waivers, arrived in San Diego after the Chargers submitted a successful waiver claim for him after the Giants cut him before the season. Considering the Bolts stood third in the waiver-priority hierarchy, Williams could generate some interest from teams stationed further down the line in that pecking order. If he passes through waivers, the third-year running back will become a free agent for the first time.

Gehlken points out (Twitter link) Williams will still receive Week 3 regular-season pay and posits the Chargers could bring him back Monday if he clears waivers.

The former Giants fourth-round pick did not play in a game for the Chargers, and the team’s decision to jettison him leaves just Melvin Gordon, rookie UDFA Kenneth Farrow and recently signed Dexter McCluster as the Bolts’ healthy ball-carrying contingent. Oliver and Woodhead are out for the season with injuries, and McCluster has split time at running back and wide receiver in his career. Gordon’s health continues to be paramount for the 1-1 team.

Williams has a 700-plus-yard rushing season to his credit, in 2014, but the physical runner hasn’t shown much in terms of elusiveness. The former Boston College standout holds a 3.2 yards-per-carry figure for his career.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Joey Bosa Unlikely To Debut Sunday

September 23rd, 2016 at 9:18am CST by Connor J. Byrne

The strained hamstring that Chargers rookie defensive end Joey Bosa has battled this month will likely prevent him from making his NFL debut this Sunday, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The Chargers, who face the Colts this week, do have a plan for when the third overall pick will crack their lineup, per Gehlken, but the earliest date could be Week 4 against New Orleans.

Joey Bosa (vertical) Thanks to a contentious, lengthy holdout over the summer, Bosa missed all of training camp and sat out each of the Chargers’ four preseason games, which placed him behind the 8-ball. The ex-Ohio State Buckeye and the Chargers fought over offset language and signing bonus distribution in Bosa’s deal before eventually agreeing to a compromise Aug. 29.

Bosa has progressed toward seeing his first pro action lately, as the 21-year-old engaged in back-to-back practices Wednesday and Thursday for the first time since early June. Before this week, the Chargers’ Aug. 30 practice was the only one he had participated in since the spring.

San Diego has started 1-1 without Bosa, a two-time All-American who combined for 51 tackles for loss and 26 sacks during his three-year college career. The Chargers’ Bosa-less defense racked up two sacks and a pair of interceptions in the team’s 38-14 win over Jacksonville last Sunday.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Melvin Ingram Changes Agents

September 22nd, 2016 at 9:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Chargers outside linebacker Melvin Ingram, who is in his contract year, has changed representation, Liz Mullen of SBJ tweets. Ingram has left Athletes First to join up with Ari Nissim, Kim Miale, and John Thornton of Roc Nation. Ingram, 27, is earning $7.751MM in 2016 under the terms of his fifth-year option. Last season, Ingram posted the best results of his career, racking up 10.5 sacks.

Practice Squad Updates: 9/22/16

September 22nd, 2016 at 8:38pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:

Cleveland Browns

  • Cut: P Michael Palardy

Dallas Cowboys

  • Signed: C Shane McDermott
  • Cut: C Jake Brendel (Twitter link via Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News)

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: DL Kyle Peko
  • Cut: S Ryan Murphy (Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9NEWS)

San Diego Chargers

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