The Los Angeles Chargers were expected to be without starting linebacker Denzel Perryman entering Monday night’s contest against the Las Vegas Raiders, but it’s now been confirmed that his absence will stretch even longer. The team placed Perryman on injured reserve Monday afternoon with an ankle injury, which means he’ll be sidelined for at least the next four games.
Perryman suffered the injury in the Week 1 win over the Kansas City Chiefs and didn’t practice at all in the lead-up to Week 2. It’s a tough blow for Los Angeles after such a convincing start to the season, especially for a linebacker group that isn’t the most proven to begin with.
In Perryman’s absence, Troy Dye will be one of the players asked to step up, but he's never been a long-term starter. Dye has made 13 career starts in six seasons — but he did play a decent role against Kansas City, notching four total tackles.
Dye brings a ton of energy and is consistently one of the Chargers’ hardest-hitting players. He’s the type of guy who can spark the rest of the defense with his motor and intensity. But over the next month, he’ll have to prove he can be more than just an energy guy. The Chargers will need reliability and consistency from him as a full-time starter.
Looking ahead, Los Angeles will need to lean on unproven players to fill that void, hoping the energy and effort they bring can match the production Perryman was supposed to deliver. Beyond Monday's contest against the Raiders, the Chargers' next three games are against the Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Washington Commanders. Each of those games will present a unique challenge, but the Bolts still have the firepower to win every one of those matchups.
Monday night's contest is slated to kick off at 7:00 p.m. PST on ABC.