Chargers CB Verrett Has Torn Knee Ligament?
Chargers cornerback Jason Verrett fears that he has been playing with a torn knee ligament through the last two games, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. He is meeting with doctors today to determine the extent of the injury and whether or not he can play through it. If he does in fact have a torn ligament, that could mean a lengthy absence for one of San Diego’s top corners. 
The Chargers haven’t had the best luck with injuries so far in this young season. Before Week 1, the team saw running back Branden Oliver go down with an Achilles tear. Then, in the first couple of weeks of the season, San Diego lost both Keenan Allen and Danny Woodhead to season-ending injuries. Losing Verrett would be another major blow for the 1-3 Chargers as they get ready to face the rival Raiders on Sunday.
Through four games, Verrett has 13 tackles, three pass deflections, and one interception. While that sounds like a solid stat line, the advanced numbers at Pro Football Focus seem to indicate that Verrett’s knee is slowing him down. He is currently ranked 71st out of 114 qualified corners in the NFL.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/4/16
Here are today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: P Michael Palardy (Twitter link via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com)
- Cut: LB Davis Tull
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Corey Washington
- Cut: WR Matt Hazel
Chicago Bears
- Signed: RB Raheem Mostert (Twitter link via Brett Tessler)
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Mike Liedtke (Twitter link via Tessler)
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Lee Hightower (Twitter link via Mike Chappell of FOX59)
New York Giants
- Signed: QB Logan Thomas
- Cut: LB Deontae Skinner
New York Jets
- Signed: S Ronald Martin
- Cut: FB Julian Howsare
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: DE James Cowser
- Cut: DL Demetrius Cherry, LB Darnell Sankey (Twitter link via Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com)
San Diego Chargers
- Signed: T Brett Boyko, LB Deon King, WR Kevin Norwood
- Cut: TE Austin Traylor
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DE Sterling Bailey
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: RB Russell Hansbrough (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times)
- Cut: WR Jonathan Krause (Twitter link via Auman)
14 Players Returning From Suspension
Fourteen players will return from four-game suspensions this week, according to Howard Balzer (Twitter links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). The most high-profile returnee, of course, is quarterback Tom Brady, who will re-join the 3-1 Patriots on Sunday against the Browns.
The following players have completed their suspensions:
- QB Tom Brady, Patriots
- DL Armonty Bryant, free agent (waived by the Browns today)
- CB Jalen Collins, Falcons
- LB Aaron Colvin, Jaugars
- DT Marcell Dareus, Bills
- T Seantrel Henderson, Bills
- DE Arthur Jones, Colts
- DE Demarcus Lawrence, Cowboys
- LB Aaron Lynch, 49ers
- DE Rob Ninkovich, Patriots
- G Chris Scott, Panthers
- DL Damion Square, Chargers
- T Zach Sterup, free agent
- TE Darren Waller, Ravens
The club that employs each player will receive a short roster exemption that ends the day following the team’s Week 5 game. that means the 49ers’ exemption for Lynch ends Friday, the Panthers’ exemption for Scott ends next Tuesday, and the rest end next Monday.
Sterup, meanwhile, was on the Chiefs’ practice squad when he was banned, but he hasn’t completed the PED reinstatement requirements, according to Balzer. So although he can sign with a new club, Sterup can’t practice or play until he’s approved by the league.
Joey Bosa: "I'm Very Close"
- Chargers first-round pick Joey Bosa has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Saints, but the defensive end is confident that he’ll be making his debut very soon. “I’m very close,” Bosa told ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams. “We’re getting there. We’re just being smart. There’s no point to rush someone back, and then you get hurt and you’re out for longer when we’ve got a really long season ahead of us.” The third-overall pick has been hampered by a hamstring injury.
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Chargers Sign LB Korey Toomer
The Chargers signed linebacker Korey Toomer off of the Raiders’ practice squad. Today, Toomer took to Twitter to announce the news. 
“Thanking god for all my opportunities that I’ve had this journey has been a wild one thank you Raiders and #Raidernation hello @Chargers,” Toomer tweeted.
Recently, the Chargers lost Manti Te’o for the season when he tore his Achilles. The Bolts immediately started looking for outside help at linebacker and they found some depth in Toomer. The inside linebacker will have a chance to show his former team what he can do when the Chargers play the Raiders in Week 5.
Toomer, 28 in December, appeared in ten games for the Raiders last season. In 2014, he saw his first NFL action with the Cowboys (one game) and the Rams (seven games).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFL Waiver Priority Now Based On 2016 Record
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
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
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. 
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
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. 
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
- 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.