The Chargers have made some moves related to injured reserve ahead of their Week 6 matchup. The team has placed running back Gus Edwards and cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. on injured reserve while activating linebacker Nick Niemann.
As a result, both Edwards and Samuel will be out for at least four games. Edwards has been dealing with an ankle injury that kept him from practicing after the team’s bye week. His absence will create a void in the team’s backfield, particularly with the prior connection to the Ravens due to the presence of J.K. Dobbins and offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
Roman, along with head coach Jim Harbaugh, is known for relying heavily on the running game, so it was expected that Edwards would have a significant workload when he signed in the offseason. While he missed the 2021 season due to an ACL tear, he returned in good form the following year, setting career highs in rushing yards (810) and touchdowns (13). Dobbins is expected to take on a bigger role in Edwards’ absence moving forward.
Samuel is dealing with a shoulder injury. He was able to practice twice this week, but not yesterday, leading to his placement on injured reserve. Samuel has been a starter throughout his career since joining the league in 2021. While he only played 12 games as a rookie, he had full seasons in the following years. Missing valuable playing time as a pending free agent is certainly not ideal for both team and player.
The Florida State product secured the slot corner position last year after training camp but mostly played on the outside. This trend continued in the following seasons, with Samuel earning top-30 PFF grades among qualifying corners in 2022 and 2023. While his performance this year has not been as strong, the Chargers still rank ninth against the pass. Maintaining their strength in this area will be crucial in compensating for Samuel’s absence.
Niemann, like other players across the league, was designated to return from injured reserve before the cutdown deadline in August. This allowed the Chargers to keep him off the initial 53-man roster but did utilize one of their eight IR activations. After missing four games, Niemann, who is a key special teams player, will make his season debut tomorrow.