Chargers' Get Back Offensive Star Who Suffered Significant Injury

Valentina Martinez | Aug 8, 2024

Sep 17, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Trey Pipkins III (79) catches a pass for a two point conversion during the first half against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports / Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Chargers offensive lineman Trey Pipkins returned to practice on Wednesday.

Rb Kimani Vidal and OL Trey Pipkins are back at practice in pads

— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) August 7, 2024

His injury hasn't been specified but it's evident the ailment was more of a bump or bruise since he missed less than a week of camp. Pipkins did not participate in Sunday's joint practice with the Rams. He was injured at Saturday's practice during 11-on-11 drills.

The return of Pipkins is good news for Los Angeles who relies on him to anchor the offensive line.

His absence from training camp caused commotion on the offensive line with Brenden Jaimes playing center and Bradley Bozeman moving to right guard.

Pipkins is one of the five starting linemen for the Bolts. Los Angeles head coach Jim Harbaugh hopes the unit will be one of the most highly-touted lines in the league this season. The group is made up of Pipkins, center Bozeman, guard Zion Johnson, and tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater.

"Offensive linemen, we look at as weapons," Harbaugh said, via the team's transcript. "That group, when we talk about attacking on offense, offensive line is the tip of the spear."

The five linemen are supposed to be solid protection for quarterback Justin Herbert this season. In recent years, Herbert has had less than formidable protection. Things will look different this year.

The Chargers asked Pipkins to make a bit of an adjustment this offseason from right tackle to right guard which he's handled eloquently thus far.

"This is going to be an O-line-centric building," Chargers Run Game Coordinator/tight ends coach Andy Bischoff said in July. "When it comes to our strength program, it's built around the O-line. Everybody else fall in line. Some people don't value offensive linemen. We do.

That will be shown in how we approach everything — from how we stretch to how we lift, to how we run the ball, to how we protect. This is a place where O-linemen are going to want to come and play because it's an O-line-centric space. We're going to raise these guys up and make them feel great about what they do, what they have to offer and not push them to the side and make them the afterthought. They are at the forefront of our thinking."

Standing at 6-foot-6, Pipkins was the Chargers' third-round pick in the 2019 draft. He is entering his sixth year in the league and plays a pivotal role in the Chargers offense.