The 2026 NFL campaign is only two games old, but things are already looking dire for the Los Angeles Chargers. This season was supposed to be different for Los Angeles, but after suffering upset defeats at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders, this appears to be a team that is quickly heading in the wrong direction.
Pretty much everything is going wrong for the Chargers, and that includes in the injury department. In the wake of their latest loss, tight end Charlie Kolar was placed on injured reserve with a forearm injury, and according to a new report, the team has devised a recovery plan for him when it comes to this ailment.
Charlie Kolar Set to Undergo Surgery on Forearm Injury
Kolar was part of the Chargers’ busy offseason, as the front office signed him to a three-year, $24.3 million contract in free agency to join their new-look tight end room. A fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Kolar was often overshadowed by Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely during the first four seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, but he’s a strong blocker who can hold his own in the passing game when called upon.
With David Njoku and Oronde Gadsden II also factoring into the mix, Los Angeles had a strong group at tight end. The problem is that Njoku has also landed on injured reserve with a fibula injury, meaning that right now, Gadsden is the only healthy guy left in this group for the time being.
Of this duo, it seems like Kolar has a better shot of returning this season, but at the very least, both he and Njoku will miss four games. According to a new report, it sounds like the hope is Kolar won’t miss more time than that, as he is set to undergo surgery to repair a broken forearm and target a Week 8 return (L.A.’s bye week is in Week 7).
Chargers tight end Charlie Kolar is undergoing surgery to repair a broken forearm, per source. He plans to make a full return after short-term IR (four weeks),” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported in a post on X.
Gadsden proved last season he can hold down the fort at tight end when needed, but for an offense that has already struggled to move the ball, this isn’t a good sign. Kolar should be back soon, but in the meantime, the Chargers are going to have to find a way to get by without him on offense.
There was so much hype surrounding Los Angeles’ offense entering the new season, but to this point, it has been massively disappointing, and it remains to be seen if it will be able to get going before it’s too late. The Chargers’ schedule is set to get outrageously difficult now, as they will face off against a high-powered Buffalo Bills offense in Week 3.
Chargers Receive Critical Injury Update on $24 Million Tight End