The San Diego Chargers just opened training camp like the rest of the NFL and the AFC West team is already dealing with a couple of significant injuries. Former Chiefs left tackle Jared Gaither and back-up quarterback Charlie Whitehurst left practice yesterday with ailments of different kinds and it doesn't bode well, especially for the Chargers' offensive line.
The Chargers cut ties with Marcus McNeill this offseason and decided to go with Gaither after the former Ravens and Chiefs player performed well late in 2011. However, Gaither has a long history with back spasms and an inability to play because of it. Going with Gaither is a major gamble on an offensive line already hurt with injuries. In a division with elite pass rushers like Tamba Hali of the Chiefs and Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller of the Broncos, a strong left tackle is crucial to success.
It's injuries like these that teams are hoping to avoid, and Scott Pioli recently said that staying healthy was the number one priority at training camp. Here's hoping the Chiefs can avoid a similar fate early on in practice.