Forrest Lamp injury a crushing blow to Chargers

All injuries are not created equal in the National Football League. For one team, losing a player at a given position is much more difficult to cope with than the same position for another team, considering depth and quality of talent lost.

With the Los Angeles Chargers, seeing first-round pick, wide receiver Mike Williams, dealing with a herniated disc is certainly bothersome, but not the end of the world. Los Angeles has a bevy of talent at the receiver spot, with Keenan Allen, Travis Benjamin and Tyrell Williams all able to start. However, the loss on Wednesday of rookie guard Forrest Lamp is a much larger issue, with the big man being fell by a torn ACL. Per ESPN:

“He was playing so well,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn told reporters after practice, before the extent of the injury was known. “He was really coming along at that right guard position. He was playing really well, so it will definitely hurt this team.”

Lamp was projected by many to be a first-round selection in April’s draft, but instead slid to the second round where the Chargers gleefully picked him up. Lamp was the highest-rated guard on almost every board, with the former Western Kentucky star showing great balance in pass protection and power in the run game.

Without Lamp, Los Angeles is looking very thin on the offensive line. The tackles were always going to be a question mark, with Russell Okung on the left side and Joe Barksdale playing opposite him. Neither of those veterans is quality starting material, and Okung has a long injury history. On the interior, Matt Slauson is the best of the bunch, although that is more a commentary on the rest of the options than it is an endorsement of Slauson’s play.

In the AFC West, being without a top-tier offensive line is a problem. The Oakland Raiders finished dead last in the league with 25 sacks in 2016, but have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Khalil Mack. The Kansas City Chiefs finally appear to have a healthy Justin Houston to pair with Chris Jones, Dee Ford and Tamba Hali. The Denver Broncos might have the best edge rusher in the game in Von Miller, to eventually go with Shaq Barrett and Shane Ray.

Ultimately, the Chargers have an abundance of talent in certain areas, including every offensive skill position, pass rushers and corners. If the rest of the team can play to an acceptable level, Los Angeles could go from being a 5-11 team to the postseason.

Unfortunately, the lost of Lamp is a crushing blow to a team that can’t afford many of them in certain position, including the offensive line.