The Los Angeles Chargers made headlines this preseason by choosing to roll out their starters in exhibition play — a strategy Jim Harbaugh defended as necessary to establish rhythm ahead of Week 1. But just two weeks away from their season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, the decision has come under heavy scrutiny after several key players landed on the injury list.
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Chargers Injuries: Quentin Johnston Update
The most concerning setback came Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams, when wide receiver Quentin Johnston took a brutal hit on a deep ball and was carted off the field with a head injury. “He was taken to a local medical facility for further testing,” Harbaugh confirmed afterward. Johnston, in street clothes at Monday’s practice, walked off once stretching began, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.
It’s a crushing development for the former first-round pick out of TCU. Johnston’s NFL career has been a rollercoaster, marked by early struggles and questions about his fit in both Brandon Staley’s and Harbaugh’s schemes. After being outplayed by Ladd McConkey last season, he had rebounded this summer, earning a starting role through steady improvement. Now, with the season approaching, LA can only hope his concussion recovery is swift.
Chargers Injuries: Mekhi Becton Update
Johnston isn’t alone. Right guard Mekhi Becton, the team’s prized free-agent signing from Philadelphia, has not practiced in three weeks with what remains an undisclosed injury. Asked about Becton’s status, Harbaugh shrugged off the concern: “He’ll be ready when he’s ready. As you know, I’m not a doctor.” The ambiguity leaves more questions than answers. If his absence extends into September, Los Angeles could be down two starting linemen after losing All-Pro tackle Rashawn Slater for the year to a knee injury.
Mr. Popper noted just how thin things are getting across the roster. “Chargers who did not practice Monday: right guard Mekhi Becton, receiver Quentin Johnston, safety Alohi Gilman, cornerback Deane Leonard, running back Jaret Patterson, cornerback Harrison Hand and cornerback Eric Rogers. It has been three full weeks since Becton last practiced.”
While Cam Hart and Jalen Reagor returned to individual drills, both remain limited. Hart hasn’t practiced since August 7, while Reagor has been sidelined since July 21. Safety Alohi Gilman, meanwhile, continues to work back from a hamstring injury that kept him out for five games last season.
The offensive line, in particular, remains a puzzle. Popper reported that the Chargers heavily rotated their second-team line on Monday, experimenting with four different combinations. Rookie Branson Taylor, originally drafted as a guard, even got reps at both tackle spots — a clear sign that Harbaugh and staff are scrambling to find depth after Slater’s injury reshaped the unit.
The risk of starting veterans in preseason has always been a balancing act: build chemistry now, or protect health for later. Harbaugh leaned toward the former, and in Johnston’s case, it may have cost him one of his key playmakers for Week 1.
For a Chargers team looking to challenge the Chiefs in the AFC West, the injuries couldn’t come at a worse time. Justin Herbert was sacked a career-high 41 times last season, and the offensive line was supposed to be stabilized by Becton’s arrival. Without him, and without Slater, the pressure on Herbert could intensify immediately.
Johnston’s absence, meanwhile, would shift more responsibility onto McConkey and veteran Keenan Allen. While Allen remains as reliable as ever, the Chargers drafted and developed Johnston to be the big-bodied complement to Allen’s route precision. If he can’t go against Kansas City, the Chargers’ offense may lose some of the explosiveness they hoped to feature this fall.
Preseason is about preparation — but for Los Angeles, it has also brought a painful reminder of how fragile that preparation can be. As Harbaugh said after Saturday’s game, “He’ll be ready when he’s ready.” The same now applies to multiple starters the Chargers desperately need.
And Week 1 is coming fast.
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