Chargers WR Keenan Allen Suffers Setback to Hamstring During Bye Week

Keenan Allen's hamstring injury has worsened during the bye week.

Author:
Nicholas Cothrel
Publish date:
Nov 2, 2022 6:20 PM EDT

In this story:

Los Angeles Chargers

COSTA MESA – The Chargers are fresh off their bye week after having time to reset following their 4-3 stretch across the first seven games.

Wide receiver Joshua Palmer and tight end Donald Parham Jr. are both out of concussion protocol and have began practicing. However, wide receiver Keenan Allen did not practice on Wednesday after saying he suffered a setback to his hamstring during the bye week.

Allen said his hamstring feels worse than it did when the team entered the bye. His setback occurred when he was going through his standard rehab and running.

"I don't think it was a re-strain or anything," Allen said of his worsened hamstring injury. "It's just some more scar tissue that's trying to break off. ... I'm gonna let it do its own thing."

Allen said he's unsure when he'll be able to return, but that he wants to come back fully healthy without a snap-count restriction when he does take the field for his next game.

"I definitely don't want to do that halfway thing again," Allen said, referring to his first half snap-count against the Seahawks in Week 7. "Just want to come back 100% and not worry about it."

Allen has gathered several opinions from medical professionals to try and take the best plan of attack in getting his hamstring healthy during this frustrating process.

"I've been talking with multiple people," Allen said. "Just trying to take the best approach and get back whenever I can."

In Allen's return during Week 7, the first game he's played since the season opener, he played 23 snaps, catching two passes for 11 yards. Allen said he felt good during the game, but that he was removed in the second half in part of his snap-count.

"I felt great. It wasn't like training camp, but definitely felt able to play," Allen said of his return in Week 7.

If Allen is unable to play this Sunday against the Falcons, the Chargers could be without their top three wide receivers. Mike Williams is dealing with a high ankle sprain and is expected to miss a matter of weeks. Palmer returned to practice following his absence from a concussion, but coach Brandon Staley was noncommittal in saying whether or not he would play in Atlanta.

With injuries continuing to hit the Chargers wide receiver group at a particularly high rate, they still didn’t make a move ahead of the NFL trade deadline. DeAndre Carter, Jason Moore Jr. and Michael Bandy are expected to play pivotal roles in the weeks ahead as the team attempts to overcome the injury bug.

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