The Los Angeles Chargers already knew Rashawn Slater wasn’t coming back anytime soon, but his latest injury update at least gives them a concrete timeline to work with.
Rashawn Slater underwent successful ankle surgery on Friday, a TightRope surgery aimed at speeding up his recovery from a high-ankle sprain, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Chargers Rashawn Slater Undergoes Massive Surgery in Week 5
“Slater, who was injured in Sunday’s game vs. the Seahawks, will be placed on Injured Reserve and begin rehabbing,” Rapoport added.
The 6-foot-4, 315-pound offensive tackle suffered the high-ankle sprain in the red zone when he got rolled up near the goal line during a Justin Herbert scramble on Sunday vs. Seattle. He stayed down for several minutes and needed assistance off the field, unable to put any weight on his right leg.
The surgery at least gives the Chargers a clear idea of Slater’s return timeline as they continue making desperate attempts for wins each week.
The expected return timeline on a high-ankle sprain is about 8 to 12 weeks (and often 10–12+ weeks for NFL offensive linemen who bear massive weight and push off the inner edge of their feet).
However, since Slater opted for a TightRope surgery instead, it cuts down a few weeks on his recovery to 6 to 8 weeks minimum.
The best-case scenario, in other words.
Slater to Be Placed on IR, Officially out for Upcoming Weeks
While it clearly means that Slater is out for the Broncos game and the Chargers game, it spells doom for the rest of their season, too.
The Chargers need to give it all they’ve got in the next week, or their season might be as good as over. It was the week they needed Slater protecting Justin Herbert’s blind side. Losing him destroys the foundation of Jim Harbaugh’s physical, run-first identity.
The Chargers’ line is already completely banged up, with Joe Alt dealing with a neck issue, Ladd McConkey being day-to-day again with a re-aggravated foot injury, and Trevor Penning in concussion protocol.
If the Chargers’ offensive line situation was already bad, it just went from bad to worse.
Rashawn Slater’s Latest Injury Update Is Bad News for Chargers vs. Broncos