The Los Angeles Chargers have struggled to find consistency this season, and injuries along the offensive line have not helped.
A visit to a specialist this week produced an update on offensive tackle Joe Alt’s status, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Alt has not played since leaving the team’s Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks with a neck injury. Alt exited late in the first half after Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori ran into him from behind while pursuing quarterback Justin Herbert. Rookie Travis Burke replaced Alt at right tackle, and the Chargers ruled him out before the second half.
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Alt then sat out the Chargers’ Week 5 game against the Denver Broncos. Rapoport reported at the time that the team had no plans to place him on injured reserve, which kept a return on the table.
Alt is expected to ramp up this week, with a return to the field coming, per Rapoport. However, Rapoport did not specify if Alt could play against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
The update matters for Herbert, who has played without Alt and left tackle Rashawn Slater, who was also sidelined with an ankle injury ahead of the Broncos game. The Chargers are in last place in the AFC West with a 0-5 record while the Chiefs own a perfect 4-0 overall record.
How quickly Alt returns to the field will depend on how he responds as he begins to ramp up, but the update gives the team a boost as they try to recover from a rough start to the 2026 season.
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