Chargers’ Justin Herbert Fractures Finger
DECEMBER 11, 7:35pm: Herbert is “very likely” to undergo surgery tomorrow, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The outcome of that operation will determine whether the QB is capable of returning to the field this season.
DECEMBER 11, 1:55pm: Herbert will consult with two hand specialists on Monday, Staley said, via Daniel Popper of The Athletic (subscription required). No firm decision has been made on his 2023 future, though Staley unsurprisingly added Herbert’s long-term health is the main consideration with respect to a recovery timeline.
Herbert has not yet been ruled out for the Chargers’ upcoming Thursday night game, but both Popper and NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo note he is highly unlikely to suit up. With the Chargers’ playoff chances looking very slim at this point, it would come as no surprise if he were to be shut down for the remainder of the season. It will remain worth watching how he and the team proceed, however.
DECEMBER 10: The Chargers have dealt with a good amount of adversity so far this season. With five of their eight losses coming by three points or fewer, wide receivers Mike Williams and Josh Palmer finding their way to injured reserve, and injuries here and there causing absences of stars like Austin Ekeler and Joey Bosa, Los Angeles needed to show some resiliency in order to stay in the playoff race this weekend. Instead, they were dealt yet another injury, this one to perhaps their most important player. 
Quarterback Justin Herbert was forced to exit today’s game when he apparently injured his finger. At the time, we didn’t know much as Herbert was ruled out and undressed from his pads but remained on the sideline to watch his backup Easton Stick. Now, it’s been reported that Herbert suffered a fracture to the index finger on his throwing hand, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN.
Head coach Brandon Staley was the one to report the injury, though he did not have any information on a timetable for Herbert’s return to play. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the plan is for Herbert to undergo an MRI scan tomorrow on the injured finger in order to determine the severity of the injury. More specifically, Rapoport’s post stated that they will look to determine “how long he’s out and if he’ll be able to return this season,” painting the potential outcome in a fairly negative light.
If the Chargers are forced to play games without Herbert, Stick would likely be the starter moving forward. Since being drafted in the fifth-round back in 2019, Stick had only appeared in one game before today. He played two snaps in Week 6 of the 2020 season, completing his lone attempted pass for four yards. Today, he saw his first extended action. In just over a half of play, Stick completed 13 of 24 pass attempts for 179 yards. He did lead the Chargers down the field on a touchdown drive late in the game by completing two big passes to rookie wide receiver Quentin Johnston before letting Ekeler punch it in from three yards out.
Even if Herbert only requires a short recovery period, the Chargers face a short week with their next game coming on Thursday night in Las Vegas. If Stick earns his first start in the upcoming week, he’ll have to be backed up by practice squad quarterback Max Duggan, the rookie teammate of first-year wide receivers Johnston and Derius Davis. Duggan would need to be called up as a standard gameday elevation or signed to the active roster in order to be on the gameday roster this week.
There’s another question that begs attention: How much time does Herbert need to be out, and how many games do the Chargers need to lose, for the team to shut him down for the season. Los Angeles just committed to making Herbert the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL (outdone shortly after by Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow‘s deal), locking him down with a five-year extension. If the playoffs start to appear out of reach, it may be in the best interest of Herbert and the team to hold him out for the rest of the year. Let him recover with little-to-no strain, and don’t risk doing any sort of permanent damage to your massive investment.
The Chargers don’t have to make that call just yet. They will look at the results of his scans tomorrow and have a much better idea of what the short-term future looks like. While he may need more time than three days and could miss Thursday, there’s still a chance Herbert recovers easily and is back for the last few weeks of the season. Still, with the pessimism displayed in Rapoport’s report, and the season beginning to wind down, it’s not out of the realm of possibility to think that we’ve seen the last of Herbert this year.
NFL Injury Roundup: Jefferson, Herbert, Hamilton
Justin Jefferson‘s return from injured reserve may not last long. In Jefferson’s first game back from the IR-stint caused by a nagging hamstring injury, the Vikings wide receiver was knocked out of the game early with a separate injury.
While cutting across the middle of the field on a deep slant, Jefferson leapt up, arms extended, in an attempt to grab a high pass from quarterback Joshua Dobbs. While Jefferson was fully exposed in the process of the catch, Raiders safety Marcus Epps delivered a big shot to Jefferson’s rib cage from the side.
It didn’t take long for the team to rule Jefferson out for the remainder of the game with a chest injury. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Minnesota decided to transport Jefferson to a local hospital in Las Vegas. While perhaps not indicative of the worst-case scenario, the Vikings are likely just acting out of an abundance of caution.
At 6-6, the Vikings are one of a handful of NFC teams on the boundary of playoff contention, even without Jefferson for the last eight weeks. If Jefferson’s chest injury is not too painful to overcome, he would be a great asset in a playoff push to close the season.
Here are a few other injury updates from around the league:
- The Chargers are facing an uphill battle in their attempts to remain in playoff contention. Things won’t get any easier as starting quarterback Justin Herbert was ruled out of today’s game with a finger injury, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. With Herbert out, backup quarterback Easton Stick has entered the game for his first game action since the 2020 season. Since starting in place of an injured Tyrod Taylor in Week 2 of his rookie season, Herbert has not missed a single start in his career. If Herbert’s finger keeps him out for more than a few days, with Los Angeles facing a short week, Stick could see his first ever NFL start in Vegas this Thursday.
- Ravens do-it-all safety Kyle Hamilton was forced to leave today’s overtime win over the Rams with a knee injury. He had sat out a couple of plays after initially tweaking his knee before returning to the field of play earlier in the game. A few drives later, he would not return and was ruled out for the rest of the game. According to Schefter, the plan is for Hamilton to undergo an MRI scan tomorrow in order to determine the extent of the injury. Baltimore is set up well with Marcus Williams and Geno Stone at safety, but Hamilton lines up in so many places on the defense that he would be virtually impossible to replace with a single player if he’s forced to miss any time.
Chargers Considering Reducing RB Austin Ekeler’s Role?
The Chargers’ offense has struggled to find an effective run-pass balance this season despite the team’s decision to retain running back Austin Ekeler. The contract-year back has not had a productive campaign though, and a change in workload could be coming. 
Ekeler requested a trade this offseason, one in which the running back position saw its market value continue to dwindle. No suitors emerged, and the 28-year-old agreed to an adjusted contract which included performance-based incentives. That set him up for free agency in 2024, and put pressure on him to deliver a strong season in advance of hitting the open market.
Instead, the former UDFA has struggled. After leading the league in total touchdowns each of the past two seasons, Ekeler has only found the end zone five times in 2023. His yards per carry average sits at 3.5, the lowest of his career. With the Chargers averaging just 98 yards per game on the ground, a shift to more of a committee approach could be on the horizon.
“Competition for carries is going to be something that you can see happening,” head coach Brandon Staley said when speaking on the subject, via ESPN’s Kris Rhim. “We’re going to keep exploring, making adjustments, so that we can find that rhythm that I’ve been talking about. That’s certainly one way to do it.”
Ekeler has averaged 14 carries per game, the most of his career. His 126 attempts comfortably leads the team, though backup Joshua Kelley has received 94 totes. The latter is thus on pace to set a new career-high in usage, and he would represent the likeliest candidate to see an increased workload in the coming weeks if a change does take place. Like Ekeler, Kelley is a pending free agent.
Still, the former should be counted on as a focal point of the Chargers’ offense, a unit which has dealt with injuries at the receiver position. The impending return of Josh Palmer will help in that regard, but a late playoff push would be greatly boosted by a return to form on Ekeler’s part. He still has a degree of confidence from the coaching staff based on Staley’s remarks.
“We know that Austin is a good running back,” Staley added. “We just haven’t found any rhythm in the last couple of weeks in the run game. Just need to keep after it and keep working hard in practice.”
S Jahleel Addae, DE Damion Square Retire As Chargers
Neither Jahleel Addae nor Damion Square have played in the NFL since 2021, and both have now officially ended their careers. Both defenders signed one-day contracts with the Chargers on Saturday, allowing them to retire with the franchise they spent most of their time with. 
The former spent his first seven NFL seasons with the Chargers, establishing himself as a full-time starter along the way. Addae topped 1,000 defensive snaps in both the 2017 and ’18 seasons, the two years in which he played on a four-year, $22.5MM deal. The Central Michigan alum was released halfway through that pact, however, which led to his departure. After a one-year stint with the Texans, Addae returned to the Chargers for the 2020 campaign before playing with the Colts the following season.
Addae, 33, played 116 games in the NFL, 91 of which were spent with the Bolts. In all, he racked up 453 tackles, five interceptions, 26 pass breakups and five sacks. He collected roughly $17.5MM in career earnings, almost all of which came from his time with the Chargers.
“It means a lot to me because first and foremost, they were one of the teams who took a chance on me coming out of Central Michigan 11 years ago,” Addae said, via Omar Navorro of the team’s website, when reflecting on today’s symbolic transaction. “[General manager] Tom Telesco believed in me, gave me a fair opportunity and I turned that into seven years for them and a nine-year career in total. It means everything.”
Like Addae, Square entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2013. After failing to establish himself with the Eagles and Chiefs, he found a home in San Diego. The Alabama product remained with the franchise through its relocation to Los Angeles, enjoying a career year in 2018. He posted 31 tackles and a trio of sacks that season while starting 11 contests.
Square remained a rotational presence along the Chargers’ D-line for another two campaigns after that before bouncing around to three teams in 2021. He amassed 129 stops and seven sacks during 100 career games, a total which includes 81 Chargers contests. The 34-year-old saw just over $10.5MM in career earnings, the majority of which came from pacts signed with the Bolts in 2017 and ’19.
“That’s home for me and for those people to take the time to put something together for me like this, for me to have one last hoorah for my career, I really appreciate them for that,” Square said. “Like I said, no better place to play my career than in Southern California with the Chargers.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/9/23
Today’s minor moves and callups heading into the Week 14 slate of Sunday games:
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: LB Milo Eifler, OL Tyler Vrabel
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: LB Josh Ross
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: G Gabe Jackson, DE Chris Wormley
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: WR Collin Johnson
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: TE Princeton Fant
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: RB Tyler Badie, TE Lucas Krull
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: T Michael Niese
Houston Texans
- Elevated: K Matt Ammendola, S Brandon Hill
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from exempt/commissioner permission list: DT Grover Stewart
- Elevated: RB Tyler Goodson, WR D.J. Montgomery
- Waived: WR Juwann Winfree
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed to active roster: QB Nathan Rourke
- Elevated: CB Tevaughn Campbell, TE Josh Pederson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from IR: LB Kana’i Mauga
- Elevated: FB Jakob Johnson, T Brandon Parker
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: TE Stephen Anderson
- Placed on IR: OL Zack Bailey
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: K Mason Crosby
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: FB Adam Prentice
- Elevated: WR Marquez Callaway, DT Jack Heflin
- Placed on IR: G Nick Saldiveri
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: OL Jake Hanson
- Elevated: G Chris Glaser, DE Jalyn Holmes
- Placed on IR: G Wes Schweitzer
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: QB Sean Mannion, LB Patrick O’Connell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: WR David Moore, DT Deadrin Senat
There was some thought that Ammendola’s stint with the Texans had come to an end after four appearances. However, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes that regular starting kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn still isn’t ready to return from his strained quadriceps, requiring the practice squad kicker to step in for at least another week. Ammendola has connected on six of his nine field goal attempts and all 10 of his XP tries this season.
With Trevor Lawrence a game-time decision for Sunday’s game, the Jaguars are adding some QB depth to the active roster. Rourke is a former CFL standout, with the quarterback earning the CFL Most Outstanding Canadian award in 2022. Following that breakout, 25-touchdown campaign, Rourke got a look from a number of NFL teams and ultimately signed a three-year deal with the Jaguars this past offseason. He was waived at the end of the preseason and has spent the majority of the season on Jacksonville’s practice squad. Per ESPN’s Michael DiRocco, the rookie will be the emergency QB3 for Week 14.
Similarly, the Seahawks will call up Mannion and O’Connell as they deal with injuries to starting quarterback Geno Smith and linebacker Jordyn Brooks. Smith is questionable heading into tomorrow’s game with a groin injury.
Stewart is back on the Colts active roster after having served a six-game ban for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Through six games this season, the veteran has compiled 20 tackles, two stops for a loss, and five QB hits.
Crosby is set to make his 2023 debut and make an appearance for a team other than the Packers for the first time since the 39-year-old was drafted back in 2007.
Schweitzer head right back to injured reserve after being activated last week. The Jets signed a lineman to the active roster from the practice squad and elevated one for tomorrow’s game to add some depth at the position.
Chargers’ Khalil Mack Contemplated Retirement After 2022 Season
Khalil Mack has been a bright spot for the Chargers this season, providing a signficant pass rush presence in a season where the team’s defense has put up underwhelming numbers in several categories. The three-time All-Pro nearly elected to hang up his cleats before the 2023 campaign, however. 
Mack contemplated retirement after the 2022 season came to an end, as detailed by Daniel Popper of The Athletic (subscription required). Los Angeles surrendered a 27-point lead in a wild-card loss to Jacksonville, ending the team’s season in unexpected fashion. Mack posted eight sacks in his debut Chargers campaign, earning him Pro Bowl honors for the seventh time in his career.
The 32-year-old has taken a dramatic step forward in production this season, however. Mack leads the NFL in both sacks (15) and forced fumbles (five), having posted multiple sacks in five games this year. Those figures have him on the precipice of a new career high in sacks, as well as a career milestone. The former top-five pick currently has 99.5 career sacks, so his decision to keep playing is set to see him reach the century mark in that regard.
“The perception of how old you are and all those different things, I feel like that s— don’t matter,” Mack said, via Popper. “When you love the game and you put in the work, it’s always going to be a reflection. And I love this game and I come out and I work hard, man. Whether I was 23, 24 when I first got into the league or now, I’m still doing the same things.”
Indeed, Mack’s ability to turn back the clock this season has helped the Chargers post 41 sacks this year, good for third in the league. It has also helped compensate for the fact fellow starter Joey Bosa has been limited to nine games and 6.5 sacks this year. Presuming Mack can maintain his strong showing, his financial future will become an interesting storyline.
The Buffalo alum is under contract through 2024, and the final year of his monster extension dating back to his time with the Bears includes over $15.2MM in guaranteed money. Due to his latest restructure, Mack is set to carry a cap hit of $38.5MM next year, so working out an extension to lower that figure would be desirable from the team’s perspective, particularly if he were intent on continuing his career beyond the end of this campaign. Given his thoughts on retirement last winter, though, it will be interesting to see how he approaches the rest of his career after this season comes to a close.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/7/23
Today’s practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Tarik Black
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Kerry Hyder
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DE Derek Rivers
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Simi Fehoko
- Released: CB Matt Hankins
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT John Penisini
- Activated from IR: WR Shaquan Davis
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Tyrion Davis-Price
- Released: WR Isaiah Winstead
As expected, Tyrion Davis-Price has landed back with the 49ers after getting cut by the big-league club earlier this week. The 2022 third-round pick has seen time in just one game for San Francisco this season, collecting 21 yards from scrimmage on six touches. He appeared in six games as a rookie, collecting 99 rushing yards. He’ll join Jeremy McNichols as the 49ers’ practice-squad options at RB.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/5/23
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Dan Chisena
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: QB Jake Luton
- Released: WR Matt Landers, OLB Jordan Thomas
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DL Tyson Alualu (story), OL Matt Farniok
- Released: LB Raymond Johnson
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Davion Davis
- Placed on practice squad injured list: WR Jared Wayne
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: S Tyree Gillespie
- Released: WR Chase Cota
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Charles Snowden
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: RB Elijah Dotson
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: TE Miller Forristall
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Xavier Newman
- Placed on practice squad injured list: DT Tanzel Smart
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: WR Cam Sims
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/5/23
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Naquan Jones
Carolina Panthers
- Signed from practice squad: OL Justin McCray
Houston Texans
- Waived: DE Kerry Hyder
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived from IR: TE Leonard Taylor
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed from practice squad: DE Janarius Robinson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from NFI list: S JT Woods
- Waived: WR Simi Fehoko
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: S Daniel Sorensen
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: LB Monty Rice
Washington Commanders
- Waived from PUP list: LB Drew White
A 2021 third-round pick, Rice started 10 games over his first two seasons. Although the Titans cut Zach Cunningham and let David Long sign with the Dolphins, they brought in Azeez Al-Shaair and have used second-year UDFA Jack Gibbens as starters this season. Rice has been strictly a backup, and a post-transaction tweet suggested the young defender was not too broken up about this Tennessee cut.
Hyder joined the Texans earlier this season. The 49ers had waived the rotational pass rusher after trading for Randy Gregory. Reuniting with DeMeco Ryans, Hyder spent much of his Texans stay on their practice squad. The team used the defensive end in two games this season, giving him 40 defensive snaps as a backup. Hyder would be eligible to return to Houston’s P-squad if he clears waivers.
Mutual Interest Between Chargers, Lions’ Ben Johnson For HC?
DECEMBER 5: While Johnson is sure to have several suitors during the 2024 hiring cycle, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post notes his preferred destination would be the Chargers. It remains to be seen if Los Angeles’ offseason evaluation of the coaching and front office staffs will produce a change, but in the event it does there will apparently be mutual interest between team and candidate in this case.
NOVEMBER 28: The Lions’ continued ascent under Dan Campbell stands to make his coordinators high-end HC candidates in 2024. While Aaron Glenn figures to generate additional interest, Ben Johnson will be a sure bet to land multiple interviews.
One of those requests may come from the Chargers, who have yet to make a decision on Brandon Staley. But with the defense-minded HC looking likely to be fired after this season, The Athletic’s Joe Person notes many in league circles expect the Chargers to have Johnson atop their wish list in 2024 (subscription required).
Regardless of the Bolts’ potential vacancy, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer offers that Johnson will be the top offense-oriented coach on the market. Considering where NFL hiring has landed over the past several offseasons, that may well make him the top candidate available. This is obviously before we know if Bill Belichick will become a coaching free agent or if the iconic New England sideline presence will be a trade option for teams. But Johnson may end up receiving multiple offers this time around.
Johnson, 37, jumped off the 2023 coaching carousel early, opting to remain with the Lions for a second season as OC. The Panthers were interested in the North Carolina native — to the point David Tepper had him positioned as the team’s top candidate early in the run. Johnson was not interested in that job, and although the Panthers are again believed to be eyeing a coach with an offensive background (even after the historically quick Frank Reich firing), it is difficult to believe Johnson would be overly interested this time around. With Tepper having canned a third coach in-season since 2019, his reputation continues to plummet. The Panthers are 30-63 since Tepper bought the team in 2018.
The Chargers have enjoyed more success than the Panthers in that span, but they have also developed an earned reputation for squandering opportunities. Staley has presided over the latest round of those, and his tenure will likely be best remembered for the 27-point collapse in last year’s wild-card round. Barring a dramatic late-season turnaround, the Bolts should be expected to move on from the first-time HC. The Chargers have not fired a coach in-season since Kevin Gilbride in 1998, making it more likely than not Staley stays on to close out his third campaign. The Bolts sit 4-7 after three consecutive losses, one of which coming against the Lions.
While Staley’s defenses have underwhelmed, as injuries continue to affect the unit, the AFC’s Los Angeles job will be attractive due to Justin Herbert‘s presence. Herbert will likely be the best quarterback attached to a coaching vacancy in 2024. At 25 and signed to an extension that runs through 2029, the Pro Bowl quarterback will be a key variable on the 2024 coaching carousel.
L.A.’s current play-caller, Kellen Moore, has more experience running an offense than Johnson, who is in his second season calling plays. But Johnson has done plenty to elevate the Lions, overseeing a Jared Goff resurgence. The throw-in piece in the 2021 Matthew Stafford trade, Goff bounced back in 2022 and sits 11th in QBR this season. He ranked fifth in this metric last year — a career-best placement. The Lions went from 25th offensively in 2021 to fifth in Johnson’s first season as the full-time play-caller. Through 11 games this year, Detroit ranks seventh in scoring and sixth in offensive DVOA.
Although Johnson took a risk by not pursuing HC jobs to the end in this year’s cycle, he both received a Lions raise and remains a valued commodity going into the 2024 hiring period. The Bolts bet on an inexperienced coordinator in 2021, hiring Staley after his one season as the Rams’ DC. Johnson, who has been with the Lions since 2019, would be a similar hire. But as an up-and-coming presence on the offensive side, the Detroit assistant may have his pick of the 2024 openings.