The Los Angeles Chargers were one of the more disappointing teams across the NFL in Week 1, as they suffered an upset defeat at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals. On offense, quarterback Justin Herbert and company were stuck in neutral for most of the day, raising concerns about how this group will function throughout the year.
More concerningly, the Chargers lost star wide receiver Ladd McConkey to a rib injury during the second half of this game, meaning their offensive woes may extend to Week 2. All eyes were on McConkey’s status for practice on Wednesday, but unfortunately, head coach Jim Harbaugh issued a tough update on his status.
Ladd McConkey Doesn’t Practice for Chargers on Wednesday
During his first two seasons in the pros, McConkey has managed to quickly establish himself as Herbert’s favorite target in the air, and with Keenan Allen officially gone, that has only made McConkey a more important piece of the team’s offense. While Quentin Johnston is a solid secondary receiver, McConkey is the guy who makes this unit tick.
That was on full display against the Cardinals, as McConkey caught five passes for 82 yards and a touchdown prior to his departure. Once he was forced out of the game, though, Herbert couldn’t find anyone who could consistently get open, which led to the offense sputtering down the stretch.
As we just saw in Week 1, any sort of absence for McConkey would be detrimental to the Chargers’ passing attack, which is why there is so much attention surrounding him ahead of Week 2. It seems like McConkey is going to face an uphill battle to get himself on the field for Los Angeles’ next game, though, as he did not take the field for practice on Wednesday.
Jim Harbaugh said WR Ladd McConkey (rib) won’t practice today,” Kris Rhim of ESPN shared in a post on X.
Chargers Hoping Ladd McConkey Can Make Sudden Recovery Before Week 2
If McConkey can’t play in Week 2, the Chargers would be in a very tough spot on offense. Obviously, they could lean on running back Omarion Hampton and the rushing attack a bit more, but throwing the ball without McConkey on the field proved to be quite a challenge for Herbert, and with only a couple of days until kickoff for their next contest, L.A. doesn’t exactly have much time to game plan for his potential absence.
The silver lining is that McConkey still has two shots to at least log a limited practice, which would give him a shot at playing on Sunday. If he can’t go, though, Johnston and Tre’ Harris would be the next guys up at wide receiver, with Charlie Kolar, David Njoku, and Oronde Gadsden factoring into the mix at tight end. Los Angeles has another winnable contest on its slate in Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders, but if McConkey can’t play, this could be another unexpected rock fight for the Chargers.
Ladd McConkey’s Week 2 Status for Chargers in Doubt After Latest Injury Update