Chargers LB Exited Practice With Trainers After Suffering Apparent Injury

He limped out of practice.
Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Nick Niemann was seen exiting Tuesday's practice early while limping into the Chargers' facility alongside a trainer, per ESPN's Kris Rhim.

The 6-foot-3 linebacker is entering his fourth season with the Chargers after he was originally drafted by Los Angeles in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Niemann was one of the Chargers' defensive standouts during the team's 16-3 preseason loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday. The 26-year-old led the team in tackles with nine and also sacked Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell on 3rd-and-long.

The Iowa product is coming off a 2023 campaign in which he recorded 41 total tackles and one pass deflection. He has appeared in all 17 games in each of his three NFL seasons, piling up a total of 66 tackles, one interception, and two pass deflections over his young career.

Niemann has also stood out during practice this summer, coming up with an interception during the Chargers' joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams at The Bolt facility.

Niemann is another name to the list of Chargers working through apparent injuries. The Chargers are missing defensive end Joey Bosa, quarterback Justin Herbert, center Bradley Bozeman, tight end Hayden Hurst, outside linebackers Chris Rumph and Andrew Farmer, defensive end Justin Eboigbe, offensive guard Jamaree Salyer, and outside linebacker Ty Shelby at Tuesday's practice. Wide receivers Jaylen Johnson and Simi Fehoko, safety Tony Jefferson, and linebacker Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste were also away from team drills, and instead working off to the side.

The Chargers did get some good news from their linebacker group and on the injury front, as rookie LB Junior Colson participated in team drills for the first time during training camp. Colson began training camp on the Non-football illness list after undergoing an appendectomy before the start of camp.

Colson, the Chargers' third-round pick out of Michigan, took part in seven-on-seven drills Tuesday, a positive step for the linebacker. Prior to this practice, Colson had primarily been out of practices and/or limited to working off to the side of the team drills.

The Chargers return to preseason action on Saturday when they take on the Rams.

More Chargers:

Michigan HC Reveals Chargers' Jim Harbaugh Will No Longer Be Honorary Captain

Chargers' Jim Harbaugh Quotes His Mother When Asked About Playoff Expectations


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Eva Geitheim

EVA GEITHEIM

Eva graduated from UCLA in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Communication. She has been covering college and professional sports since 2022.