The Los Angeles Chargers received the worst-case scenario news on Monday regarding the fate of star left tackle Joe Alt. Head coach Jim Harbaugh announced that Alt will miss the remainder of the Chargers’ season due to an ankle injury that requires surgery. The news comes after Alt was forced to exit the game during the second quarter of the Chargers’ win over the Tennessee Titans. The injury was severe enough that it required Alt be carted off of the field. 

Now that the dreaded news has become reality, the Chargers must prepare for life without their star left tackle. During Alt’s absence earlier this season, franchise quarterback Justin Herbert faced an alarming amount of pressure and took numerous hits from opposing defenses. The chaos caused by an undermanned offensive line led to a choppy offensive performance. It wasn’t until Alt returned to the field that the offense began to find a rhythm.

Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz is certainly making plenty of phone calls with the trade deadline approaching on Tuesday. The question is how willing Hortiz and the rest of the front office will be to sacrifice more draft capital for a short-term fix at the tackle position. The Chargers already have two elite tackles on the roster in Alt and Rashawn Slater—who also suffered a season-ending injury during training camp. It’s more likely that Hortiz inquires about help at running back or elsewhere along the offensive line.

During a press conference on Monday, Coach Jim Harbaugh was asked how his team would respond to losing Joe Alt for the season. Harbaugh responded, “Do the best you can, you get better, and never give up.” He also expressed confidence in tackle options Trey Pipkins, Austin Deculus, Jamaree Salyer, and Foster Sarrell. In a world full of doom and gloom, players and fans alike can always count on Harbaugh’s trademark positivity.

The fate of the season will now fall on the shoulders of Justin Herbert, Jim Harbaugh, Greg Roman, and Joe Hortiz. They will need to work as a collective unit to keep the Chargers’ goals alive. Injuries in the NFL are inevitable, and losing Joe Alt is about as devastating as it gets. However, the Chargers must adopt a “next man up” mentality on the offensive line. If they can’t find a way to keep Justin Herbert upright and healthy, their season could quickly fly off the rails.