EL SEGUNDO — Running back Najee Harris joined the Chargers on Wednesday for his first practice since sustaining an eye injury during a July 4 fireworks accident. He had missed all of training camp and, as recently as last week, his availability for the season-opening game was very much in doubt.
The Chargers activated Harris from the non-football injury list Tuesday and he was on the field for individual drills Wednesday, the only portion of practice that was open to the media. Harris has progressed recently from walking laps around the fields to running sprints and performing drills on the sidelines.
It remains to be determined whether he will be ready to play when the Chargers play their season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 5 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, however. His inclusion on the 53-man roster was a mild surprise when it was announced Tuesday afternoon.
“Limited” was how Coach Jim Harbaugh described Harris’ participation in practice Wednesday and likely for the rest of this week. Of the odds of Harris playing in Week 1 against the Chiefs, Harbaugh said, “Possibility.” Harbaugh was non-committal throughout camp about Harris’ availability.
Omarion Hampton, the Chargers’ first-round draft pick, would likely start in place of Harris against Kansas City if Harris isn’t deemed sound enough to play by the team’s medical staff. The Chargers haven’t provided a medical update about Harris’ injury or his prognosis since the accident.
The Chargers signed Harris to a one-season, $9.25 million contract in an attempt to improve their ground game. Harris gained 1,000 yards or more in each of his four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Chargers haven’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since Melvin Gordon in the 2017 season.
COLSON SIDELINED
Harbaugh said linebacker Junior Colson will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. Colson was injured at some point during the preseason, according to Harbaugh, who didn’t reveal further details about the injury or how long it might be before Colson could resume football activities.
“Disappointed, he is, as you would expect,” said Harbaugh, who coached Colson while both were at the University of Michigan, including on their national championship team in 2023. ‘It’s a setback, but you can’t really play linebacker on one shoulder. We’ll get it fixed. He’ll attack the rehab and be back.”
OPPORTUNITY SQUAD
The Chargers signed 17 players to their practice squad, or the opportunity squad as Harbaugh likes to call it, including long snapper Rick Lovato to replace Josh Harris, who was placed on injured reserve Tuesday. Lovato spent the last nine seasons as the Philadelphia Eagles’ long snapper.
Also signed to the practice squad were: quarterback DJ Uiagalelei; running backs Nyheim Miller-Hines and Kimani Vidal; wide receivers JaQuae Jackson and Jalen Reagor; offensive linemen Karsen Barnhart, Josh Kaltenberger, Branson Taylor and David Sharpe; tight end Thomas Yassmin; defensive backs Tony Jefferson, Harrison Hand, Myles Purchase; and linebackers Emany Johnson and Garmon Randolph; and defensive lineman TeRah Edwards.
CAPTAINS PICKED
Justin Herbert, Bradley Bozeman, Joe Alt, Derwin James Jr. Khalil Mack and Daiyan Henley were named captains in voting by the players, and Keenan Allen and Denzel Perryman were named alternate captains. The Chargers’ rookies added up the votes with Harbaugh monitoring.
“I was in the counting room with Omarion (Hampton), Tre’ Harris and Jamaree Caldwell, that’s the first thing they noticed,” Harbaugh said of the number of players who received double-digits in the voting. “They said, Coach, you’ve got a lot of leaders on this team, a lot of captains on this team.”
PHILLIPS SIGNED
The Chargers signed linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips, a likely candidate to play on the special teams, and placed cornerback Eric Rogers on injured reserve. Rogers had two interceptions during the Chargers’ preseason victory over the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 10, returning one 55 yards for a touchdown.
Rogers sprained his ankle while playing on the kickoff coverage team in the closing minutes of the Chargers’ 27-13 victory. He was unable to practice the following weeks and didn’t play in either of their final two preseason games, losses to the Rams on Aug. 16 and the San Francisco 49ers last Saturday.
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