The good news for Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers is that X-rays were negative on his ankle.
The bad news is that Herbert, or whomever it is that starts at quarterback in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs, is expected to play with backup tackles protecting him.
Chargers rookie first-round right tackle Joe Alt suffered an MCL sprain on Sunday and is expected to miss some time, while Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater is also likely to be out against the Chiefs due to a strained pectoral, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday.
Herbert was dealing with a high ankle sprain entering the Chargers’ Week 3 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and aggravated the injury in the game. Though X-rays were negative Monday, he’s still set to undergo an MRI, head coach Jim Harbaugh announced.
His status for the looming AFC West showdown with the Chiefs remains something to monitor, with Harbaugh saying there would be more information on Wednesday, when the week’s first injury report lands.
Slater, one of the game’s top left tackles, missed all but three games in 2022 due to a ruptured biceps, but since has been a stalwart on the left side for the Bolts.
Pairing Slater with Alt, who’s produced a 77.0 PFF grade through three games, has almost instantly given the Bolts one of the best tackle combos in the league, or at least they’ve been on the trajectory to become such.
That will take a hit and so too conceivably will the QBs, whether it’s Herbert or backups Taylor Heinicke, who played Sunday in relief of Herbert, or Easton Stick.
After a 2-0 start, the Chargers were dealt their first loss on Sunday against the Steelers, but it seems as though the game was far more damaging outside of the win-loss column.
Just how long Alt and Slater will be out remains to be seen, but an already uphill battle to beat the reigning Super Bowl champs in Week 4 just got a lot steeper.