EL SEGUNDO — The injuries are starting to pile up for the Chargers, and they’re not the typical bumps and bruises and sprains and strains associated with playing professional football, and they’re not sending players easily replaced to the sideline for extended periods of time.
Left tackle Rashawn Slater went down and out for the season with a knee injury sustained during an innocent-looking drill during training camp, forcing a realignment of the offensive line. Joe Alt flipped over to left tackle from right tackle and Trey Pipkins III shifted from a backup role into Alt’s spot.
Linebacker Denzel Perryman sprained his ankle in the Chargers’ season-opening victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, landing on injured reserve for a minimum of four games. He won’t play in the Chargers’ game Sunday against the New York Giants in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Edge rusher Khalil Mack sustained a dislocated elbow during a collision with Perryman’s replacement, Troy Dye, on the final play of the first quarter of the Chargers’ victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2. Mack isn’t eligible to play again until Oct. 10 against the Indianapolis Colts.
Running back Najee Harris suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury during the first half of the Chargers’ victory over the Denver Broncos in Week 3. Omarion Hampton, a first-round draft pick from the University of North Carolina, assumed the lead back duties.
Also this past Sunday, right guard Mekhi Becton sustained a concussion in the first half that forced him from the game and kept him from practicing this week. The Chargers officially ruled him out Friday for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants, prompting additional changes to the offensive line.
Jamaree Salyer replaced Becton for the second half of the Chargers’ 23-20 victory over the Broncos and is likely to do so again for the game against the Giants. Pipkins was seen wearing a knee brace this week, although he was a full participant in practice Thursday and Friday.
Wide receiver Derius Davis and tight end Will Dissly were sidelined this week by knee injuries and also won’t play Sunday. Safety Elijah Molden made significant progress from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the past two games, but was a limited participant in practice this week.
“One day at a time,” coach Jim Harbaugh said earlier in the week when asked about the availability of the Chargers’ many injured players, including Becton, Davis and Dissly, sticking to his customary method of operation of revealing next to nothing about the team’s sick and injured players.
EXTRA POINTS
Justin Herbert’s next game of 300 yards or more of passing yards will be the 30th of his six-season career. He would join Patrick Mahomes (41 games), Dan Marino (32) and Kurt Warner (30) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with 30 or more 300-yard games in their first six seasons. …
Wide receiver Keenan Allen needs seven receptions Sunday against New York to reach 1,000 for his career, becoming the fastest in league history to reach the milestone. Allen’s next game will be the 158th of his career. Marvin Harrison caught 1,000 passes in 167 career games. …
A victory over the Giants would give the Chargers a 4-0 record for only the sixth time in franchise history, and the first time since the 2002 season. They haven’t been 5-0 to start a season since going 6-0 to begin their 1994 Super Bowl season, when they were 11-5 during the regular season.