EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In addition, edge rusher Joey Bosa (hip) and left tackle Rashawn Slater (pec) have been ruled out for Sunday. Right tackle Joe Alt (knee) is questionable.
Herbert has been nursing a high ankle sprain since Week 2. He aggravated the injury in Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Herbert was pulled in the third quarter of that game and did not return. He was listed as limited in practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week.
“He said he felt better today than he did last Friday,” coach Jim Harbaugh said after Friday’s practice.
Herbert was able to do “more” this week in practice than he did last week, Harbaugh said. That included seven-on-seven drills and full team drills in Friday’s practice.
“Listed as questionable, and we’ll see,” Harbaugh said. “That’s the best that I can do as far as predicting anything.”
If he starts, Herbert will likely be playing behind multiple backups on the offensive line. Alt is dealing with an MCL sprain in his right knee, according to a person familiar with the injury. He did not practice this week, though he was working off to the side with the training staff Thursday and Friday.
With both Slater and Alt out of practice, the Chargers used this offensive line grouping during the portions of practice open to media: left tackle Jamaree Salyer, left guard Zion Johnson, center Bradley Bozeman, right guard Sam Mustipher and right tackle Trey Pipkins.
Pipkins was the starting right guard for the first three games. He kicked out to left tackle after Slater suffered his left pec strain against the Steelers. Salyer had originally gone into the game at left tackle, but he was beat on his first rep there, and the Chargers made a quick change. Salyer moved to right guard and Pipkins replaced him at left tackle.
Harbaugh said Friday that Salyer remains a “great option” at left tackle. Salyer played nearly 1,000 snaps at left tackle in 2022 when Slater missed most of the year with a torn left bicep.
Mustipher is on the practice squad but is a candidate to be elevated for Sunday’s game. He has been primarily a center in his career. He has played three regular-season snaps at guard, which came at left guard with the Baltimore Ravens last season.
“I like him as a football player,” Harbaugh said of Mustipher. “He’s a capable — very capable — tough, strong, dependable guy. There’s opportunity, so I feel really good about Sam.”
Linebacker Junior Colson (hamstring) has also been ruled out for Sunday’s game. Cornerback Kristian Fulton (knee), cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor (fibula), returner Derius Davis (hamstring) and cornerback Deane Leonard (hamstring) are questionable.
Fulton was a full participant in Friday’s practice. Leonard pulled his hamstring during the practice. Taylor and Davis did not participate.
An under-the-radar byproduct of the Chargers’ lengthy injury report: Special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken is dealing with a depleted roster. Taylor and Leonard are his starting gunners. Edge rusher Chris Rumph II and linebacker Nick Niemann, two of the Chargers’ most experienced core-four special teams players, are on injured reserve. Colson, another core-four player, has not practiced in two weeks.
Now Davis, Ficken’s starting returner on punts and kickoffs, is in danger of not playing. And practice squad linebacker Shaq Quartermam, who played 58 special teams snaps in the first three games of the season, is out of elevations.
The Chargers signed linebacker Blake Lynch to the practice squad this week as reinforcements. Lynch played 131 special teams snaps for Ficken and the Chargers last season.
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