The Los Angeles Chargers will attempt another kicker change.
The team released Caleb Sturgis, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports, via sources informed of the situation. The team later made the news official. In a corresponding move, the team signed rookie Michael Badgley off the practice squad.
It's the least surprising news of the week after Sturgis was terrible in Sunday's win in Seattle. Returning from a quad injury, the 29-year-old Sturgis shanked two extra point tries and one 42-yard field goal attempt in Sunday's 25-17 victory over Seattle.
The five botched points allowed the Seahawks a shot to tie the game at the end of regulation.
The Chargers eking out the road win softened the immediate blow of the misses, but couldn't save Sturgis' job. The booter has been a disaster all season. He's missed four of 13 field goal tries. His 69.2 percent conversion rate is tied for the worst in the NFL for kickers with at least 10 attempts. He's also been brutal on extra points, missing six of 15, which puts his 60 percent rate at the worst among all NFL kickers.
Chargers coach Anthony Lynn couldn't move forward into a playoff push with those types of struggles looming over his team -- especially not with Philip Rivers' reactions to said misses filling up meme boards.
When Sturgis missed Weeks 6 and 7 due to the quad injury, L.A. signed Badgley, who went 10-of-10 on kicks, including seven extra points. Short kickoffs -- just two touchbacks on 12 -- were a concern with the rookie, but his accuracy upgrade on extra points alone should outweigh that at this point.
