First he returned to the field. Now Joey Bosa is back on the injury report.
The Chargers’ star outside linebacker who has struggled with groin, hamstring and foot injuries in the last two seasons was not seen on the practice field Thursday when it was open to reporters after he was listed as a limited participant Wednesday because of a back injury.
The Chargers practice in El Segundo on Friday before traveling to Charlotte, N.C., to face the Carolina Panthers at 10 a.m. PDT on Sunday. The final injury report will be released Friday afternoon.
After the Chargers’ 22-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday, Bosa was wearing a large bandage around his midsection to hold a bag of ice on his lower back. Bosa, who was carted off the field in Week 11 last year because of a foot injury, entered training camp eager to prove he still is a Pro Bowl player.
The sight of the 29-year-old chasing Raiders across the field at SoFi Stadium, racking up seven tackles with one sack and a forced fumble, confirmed Bosa’s potential when healthy.
“He’s that player,” coach Jim Harbaugh said this week. “You saw it in the production, the tackles, in the hustle, and he was great against the run and unblockable in the pass. I mean, huge game.”
Bosa’s return, coupled with a similarly dominant game by Khalil Mack, helped the Chargers make a stellar first impression under first-year defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. The former Michigan coordinator who followed Harbaugh to the pro ranks after helping the Wolverines to the national championship said having Bosa and Mack together and healthy was the thing “you’re kind of dreaming about.”
Mack also had a game-wrecking performance against the Raiders with three tackles, 1½ sacks, a fumble recovery and a tipped pass that led to an interception.
“They kind of drive the engine of our defense,” Minter said Thursday, “the way they play, the energy, the physicality, the key, key plays.”
Although Bosa and Mack make possibly the best edge-rushing duo in the NFL, the Chargers still have depth behind the Pro Bowl players with second-year player Tuli Tuipulotu and free-agent signing Bud Dupree. During the preseason, Bosa said it was like having two sets of starters on the edge. Minter even lined up all four together at points during Sunday’s win.
Thursday, the Chargers also were without safety Alohi Gilman, who missed practice for a second consecutive day because of a knee injury. Defensive back Ja’Sir Taylor (fibula) was working with strength staffers on the side and in the weight room.
