Edge rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack and running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards won’t play in the exhibition opener on Saturday at SoFi Stadium.
EL SEGUNDO — Edge rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack will sit out the first of the Chargers’ three exhibition games when the team hosts the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday at SoFi Stadium. Running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards also won’t play. Easton Stick will start at quarterback and play up to 30 snaps.
Coach Jim Harbaugh was less than forthcoming when asked who else might play and who might not. He mentioned only a handful of names after the Chargers’ 14th day of training camp on Thursday. For example, it was unclear whether offensive lineman Joe Alt, the fifth pick in the draft in April, would play.
Harbaugh did say there would be a mix of starters and backups, drafted players and undrafted players who would play against the Seahawks. But he was loath to run down a lengthy list of players who would play against Seattle, stopping a curious reporter before he could continue to query the coach.
“Instead of going through 25 or 30 guys, rather than go through that, how about I give you a few?” Harbaugh asked before listing several players who won’t suit up, including Bosa, who hasn’t joined his teammates on the field since departing Sunday’s joint practice with the Rams because of an apparent injury.
Asked about Bosa’s injury, Harbaugh said, “He’s working through something. I’m really not qualified to say how significant it is or give any kind of a timeline on it. Probably likely to go when the season starts (Sept. 8 against the AFC West-rival Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium).”
Harbaugh also declined to provide an update about quarterback Justin Herbert, who spent his eighth day in a walking boot because of a plantar fascia injury in his right foot. The Chargers said last week they expect Herbert to be sound enough to begin the season, but it was unclear if that timeline is still in play.
“I’m not even qualified to relay the information that I hear or understand exactly how somebody is, so, yeah, working through it and it’s been very positive,” Harbaugh said of Herbert, who has watched recent practices from the sideline and has not been available for comment on his injury.
Saturday’s quarterback rotation will begin with Stick playing a little less than a full half before yielding to Max Duggan, who will yield to Casey Bauman, who will yield to Luis Perez. At least, that’s the plan, according to Harbaugh. Perez was signed Tuesday to inject some competition into the position.
“Just go have at it,” Harbaugh said of his instructions to Stick. “You’re playing quarterback. This is what he’s prepared to do. This is the challenge. I’m going to tell him to let it rip. Go have at it and let it rip and just give it your very best. That’s all you can do in football. … We’ve got a lot of confidence he’ll do a great job.”
With Herbert sidelined, the Chargers’ offense sputtered to a halt during their joint practice with the Rams and again in subsequent practices Monday and Tuesday. Stick misfired on pass after pass, and Duggan and Bauman weren’t a whole lot better as the three of them struggled to move the team during drills.
So, in order to light a fire under the three of them, the Chargers signed Perez, a veteran of the UFL and the XFL. Perez learned a few plays on the fly then came out firing in his first practice Wednesday. To no one’s surprise, Stick, Duggan and Bauman picked up their play Wednesday and Thursday.
“You know how I feel about competitors, right?” Harbaugh asked a reporter. “Competition is the best thing that there is. Competitors welcomed. I thought Easton wasn’t really having any competition or enough competition at that position. The way to make someone better is to get some competition in there.
“So, message to Max and Casey, you’ve got to step up the game. We liked the workout Luis had and what he has been able to accomplish. So, we wanted to put him into the mix, really, for Easton.”
