Chargers are running out of injured reserve options in a hurry due to weird NFL rule

As it has been well documented, the Los Angeles Chargers have been extremely banged up throughout the course of their 2025 season. This has led to a plethora of players being placed on Injured Reserve, a mechanism by the NFL to allow injured players to get healthy, but allowing the team to "free up" a roster spot for a replacement.

This mechanism has been crucial for the Chargers, allowing them to field a roster at all. However, with this, there is a very peculiar rule set in place that might affect the Chargers hopes to make the playoffs.

Chargers running out of injured reserve options

According to Tom Pelissero's tweet regarding the NFLPA's memo on the 2024 rule changes, teams are allowed eight return designations. Which basically means, eight times during the NFL season, a team is allowed to return a player from injured reserve. If a player is not designated for return, he will not go against that eight limit, but he will not return for the entire season.

So, how does this relate to the Chargers current situation?

The Bolts have been very familiar with injured reserve this year, using up five return designation spots only halfway through the season. This means that at the Chargers' current pace, they will be completely out of designations, disallowing them the flexibility to either place shorter-term injured players on injured reserve to preserve a roster spot, or disallowing them to have said injured player return for the rest of the season.

Chargers injured reserve return designation usage (5): Deane Leonard (designated for return), Josh Harris (designated for return), Da'Shawn Hand (designated for return), Denzel Perryman (returned) and Khalil Mack (returned).

Omarion Hampton is also currently on injured reserve with a very likely chance to return. This would have the Chargers at six of their eight spots.

The silver lining for the Bolts is that if they were to make the playoffs, two more return designations would be rewarded to the team.

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