Chargers make smart roster move after Perryman suspension, Vidal injury

The Chargers make some solid roster moves to work around some new problems.

Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers had a little bit more weight behind their early week roster moves this time. 

As Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers prep to play the Houston Texans in Week 17, they announced two specific roster moves.

Those Chargers roster moves make a lot of sense when considering the recent Kimani Vidal injury and the NFL suspending star linebacker Denzel Perryman for two games. 

Here’s a quick rundown

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Chargers sign RBs to active roster, practice squad

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The Chargers announced the signing of Jaret Patterson to the active roster from the practice squad.

In the same move, the Chargers signed Royce Freeman to fill Patterson’s spot on the practice squad. 

For Freeman, it’s a return after being involved in previous roster moves. They’ve had him as a backup plan while the main roster continues to battle injury after injury at the running back spot. 

The Patterson move is a direct response to the Vidal injury. It doesn’t sound like the backup will miss a ton of time, if any, but the injury dominoes that started all the way back during the summer with Najee Harris’ fireworks incident just aren’t letting up. 

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How Denzel Perryman’s suspension impacts roster moves 

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There’s a small technicality going on here with the Denzel Perryman suspension. 

As The Athletic's Daniel Popper pointed out, the NFL technically processed Perryman’s suspension to start the week. That means Patterson’s ascension to the 53-man roster takes Perryman’s spot. 

Granted, Perryman has appealed the suspension. Given that he’s a repeat offender, though, the best he might be able to hope for is the NFL shaving one game off the two-game ban, which would let him get back for the season-ending game against the Denver Broncos, which could have the AFC West up for grabs. 

Barring a shocker in the appeals process, then, the Chargers shouldn’t need to make a corresponding roster move to fit Patterson on the active roster. 

Patterson joins Omarion Hampton, Vidal and Hassan Haskins on the active roster, while Freeman joins Amar Johnson on the practice squad, at least for now.

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