Why did Chargers decide to place players on IR but after bye week?

Chris Roling | Oct 13, 2024

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers were supposed to get healthier during the bye week. 

But on the day before the Week 6 AFC West clash against the Denver Broncos, the Chargers actually shifted two starters to injured reserve. 

What gives? 

The Chargers moved running back Gus Edwards and defensive back Asante Samuel Jr. to injured reserve in a flurry of pregame roster moves. 

Edwards wasn't all that shocking, as he’s battled a strange on-and-off injury saga since the summer and J.K. Dobbins dominates the backfield anyway. 

Samuel is a whole different type of beast, though. 

The upstart Samuel practiced all week after the bye except for Friday, when he missed due to a shoulder injury. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh was extremely evasive about the sudden development that otherwise had zero information around it. 

"We've gone over this many times, right? I'm not qualified to go into the medical details of it," Harbaugh said, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN.

Samuel previously had a shoulder injury he suffered before the season opener, was questionable, played and hasn’t missed a beat since, at least until this past Friday. 

The secondary was a mess before Samuel’s sudden injury, with starter Ja'Sir Taylor already ruled out and both veterans Deane Leonard and starter Kristian Fulton questionable against the Broncos. 

So, that begs the question—why did the Chargers wait until after the bye on these nagging issues? Regardless of the answer, both players must now miss at least the next four games. 

In some respects, especially along the offensive line and in the case of Justin Herbert, the Chargers did get healthier over the break. But the case of Edwards and Samuel will continue to be a strange one that hangs over the team for the better part of a month, if not longer.

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