Joe

Alt

Alt will have season-ending surgery after suffering a second high-ankle sprain to the same leg. We often see NFL players take their time coming back from high-ankle sprains, and rarely do we get the recurrence. This is a brutal blow for the Chargers and puts some governors on their rest of season output. Trey Pipkins and Bobby Hart will do their best to keep Justin Herbert upright, but the Chargers may be susceptible to down games against good pass rushes. Alt will enter year three of his rookie contract in 2026 and he and Rashawn Slater will try to pick up the pieces of what was supposed to be this year in rehab.

Brutal. Alt is likely headed toward an extended absence even if surgery is deemed unnecessary. He missed Weeks 5-7 after suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 4. The exceptionally talented 22-year-old successfully switched from right tackle to left tackle after incumbent LT Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending patellar tendon rupture in August. Hopefully, Alt has a chance to return later this season if he does indeed require surgery.

Rolled up on late in the second quarter, Alt required the assistance of a cart to reach the locker room. He appeared rather dismayed, though that does not necessarily mean it’s a season-ending injury. It does likely mean another multi-week absence, and perhaps a stint on injured reserve after Alt did everything he possibly could to get back quickly from his first ankle sprain. Stay tuned.

The Chargers are also getting RT Trey Pipkins III (knee) back this evening. This is great news for QB Justin Herbert as he prepares to face the Vikings’ top-tier blitz-based defensive scheme. The Chargers declared RB Hassan Haskins, CB Nikko Reed, OLB Kyle Kennard, OL Jamaree Salyer, OT Austin Deculus, WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith and TE Will Dissly inactive for Week 8 against the Vikings. With Haskins out, the Chargers have elevated RBs Nyheim Hines and Jaret Patterson from the practice squad.

Alt is listed as questionable and could still be held out of tonight’s game, but it looks like he is back after missing under a month with a high-ankle sprain. Alt went down with the injury in Week 4. Fellow LA offensive Trey Pipkins is also listed as questionable. Getting both blockers back would be a huge boost to a Chargers squad that is 1-4 over its past five games.

This is great news. Chargers RT Trey Pipkins III (knee) and backup LT Austin Deculus (ankle) are listed as questionable as well. All three offensive tackles practiced in a limited capacity each day this week. The Chargers’ offensive line is tasked with fending off the Vikings’ blitz-heavy defensive scheme on Thursday night. Getting one or both of the team’s starting offensive tackles back would go a long way toward keeping QB Justin Herbert upright.

Both Alt (ankle) and Pipkins (knee) were practicing in a limited capacity on Tuesday after being listed as limited for Monday’s practice session. Alt has been out since injuring his ankle in Week 4 and was able to get in a pair of limited practice sessions last week; his ankle was heavily taped in Tuesday’s practice while Pipkins wore a brace on his knee. Head coach Jim Harbaugh said Alt is “doing anything and everything he can” to play Thursday against the Vikings. He added that Alt and Pipkins are both “game-time decisions, day-of-game decisions” for Week 8. Getting both tackles back would be a big boost to Justin Herbert’s protection moving forward.

He was limited twice last week in practice before being called doubtful and scratched on Sunday. The Chargers also had Austin Deculus (ankle) and Trey Pipkins (knee) limited on Monday, leaving Foster Sarell and Bobby Hart as their current healthy alternatives on the roster. Hart started last week, and Deculus was relieved by Sarell with both Alt and Pipkins inactive. It would be nice if Alt could be ready for Week 8, but it doesn’t feel like something we can count on at this point.

Haskins will rotate in behind RB Kimani Vidal, who out-touched Haskins 21-7 last week. Vidal is an RB2 for the occasion, while Haskins is a touchdown-dependent FLEX. The big-bodied running back was added to the injury report with a chest injury on Friday, but practiced in full that day. The Chargers declared LT Joe Alt (ankle), RT Trey Pipkins III (knee), S Elijah Molden, LB Troy Dye, WR KeAndre Lambert Smith, EDGE Kyle Kennard and CB Nikko Reed inactive for Week 7 against the Colts. Chargers OLB Khalil Mack (elbow) and LB Denzel Perryman (ankle) will play.

Mack was limited all week. If he is active, it would be unsurprising to see him used as a situational pass rusher. The team could keep him sidelined for one more week, just to be safe, though. Chargers LT Joe Alt (ankle) is listed as doubtful to play after practicing in a limited capacity twice, and RT Trey Pipkins III (knee) has been ruled out. He did not practice this week.