Chargers news: Injuries, Greg Roman shade, Manti Te'o goes off and more

Chris Roling | Oct 12, 2024

Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers are one of the more newsworthy teams in the NFL right now as the Jim Harbaugh era gets off to its shaky start.

A new coaching staff means big changes for the team on the field. And with the NFL’s trade deadline on approach, the news also focuses on how a new shift in the front office could make things more interesting than usual in the coming weeks, too.

Here’s a look at some of the extra Chargers news headlines making the rounds.

Jesse Minter’s Success

Minter, the defensive coordinator who might be on head coaching shortlists if this keeps up, is using some really creative wrinkles to help the Chargers defense look elite. A fantastic dive from The Athletic’s Daniel Popper breaks it down in detail.

Injuries on the Schedule

The three games after the Week 5 bye for the Chargers have always looked brutal. Road-tripping to Denver for a date with the Broncos, then Arizona for a game against the Cardinals, only to return home to play the New Orleans Saints is rough. But that Saints matchup in Week 8 could be massively impacted by a new injury to starting quarterback Derek Carr.

Broncos Injury Report

By now, Chargers fans know the rundown of the team’s injury report heading into Week 6. On the Broncos final injury report, though, there are multiple starting offensive linemen listed as out. That could have a huge impact on how well rookie quarterback Bo Nix can play—and will be something the Chargers seek to exploit.

Ladd McConkey Praise – and a Little Greg Roman Shade

Chargers rookie wideout Ladd McConkey looks like the real deal as a long-term weapon for Justin Herbert. As ESPN’s Mina Kimes recently broke down on film, he’s been especially potent out of the slot. What has to be frustrating for Chargers fans is the fact that, while the clip is amazing, offensive coordinator Greg Roman hasn’t done this all that often with McConkey yet, despite how effective it is:

Really impressed by what we've seen so far from Chargers WR Ladd McConkey. His route running + YAC ability is already translating at the NFL level--would love to see Roman use him to attack downfield from the slot more, as he absolutely has the juice for it. pic.twitter.com/PNpLjEk2Z4
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) October 11, 2024

Manti Te'o Goes Off

Here’s a fun one—former Chargers player Manti Te'o went wild in support of his former team on a recent broadcast. The Chargers were more than happy to capture the fun moment on social media: