Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt suffered a lower right leg injury early in Sunday’s Week 4 loss to the New York Giants. The injury occurred on the Chargers’ second possession when Giants edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux collided with Alt, causing his leg to buckle. Alt limped off under his own power before being carted to the locker room and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Initial reports suggest Alt sustained a high ankle sprain, with X-rays negative for broken bones. An MRI is scheduled to determine the full severity. Recovery for a high ankle sprain varies by grade: a Grade 1 typically takes 1-2 weeks, Grade 2 requires 4-6 weeks, and Grade 3 could take 6-8 weeks or more, potentially necessitating surgery.
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Alt’s injury compounds an already critical offensive line situation. Rashawn Slater, the team’s starting left tackle and a two-time Pro Bowler, is out for the season with a torn patellar tendon. Meanwhile, right guard Mekhi Becton missed Sunday’s game due to a concussion.
Adam Schefter of ESPN highlighted the precarious position the Chargers are in: “High ankle sprain, if you’re the Chargers and you see Joe Alt carted off yesterday, you feel fortunate that he has a high ankle sprain. You don’t want any of your players to get hurt, but when he goes down, you don’t know whether it’s a knee, whether it’s a broken ankle, a dislocation, it could be anything that ends the season.”
Schefter continued, noting the impact on quarterback protection: “They’ve already lost Rashawn Slater… Now you’re down your two best tackles… Herbert paid the price for it yesterday. They struggled to protect him, he got hit an awful lot. It’s going to be hard to win consistently without Joe Alt, but it doesn’t sound like he’s going to miss a lot of time.”
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In Alt’s absence, rookie Austin Deculus, acquired via trade from the Houston Texans on August 26, took over at left tackle. Deculus had minimal time to acclimate to the Chargers’ system, underscoring the urgency of the situation. Trey Pipkins remains at right tackle, while Foster Sarell was elevated from the practice squad to add depth.
Alt, a second-year lineman out of Notre Dame, started all 20 games of his NFL career and finished seventh in last year’s AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. Despite his youth, losing him even temporarily leaves Justin Herbert vulnerable behind a decimated offensive line.
The Chargers hope the sprain remains manageable, but with two of the league’s premier tackles sidelined simultaneously, Los Angeles faces a critical test in protecting their star quarterback for the stretch run.
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