The Chargers have lost one of their starting offensive linemen for the season, as Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (via Twitter) that the club has placed guard Johnnie Troutman on injured reserve, ending his year.
Troutman, who turns 28 in November, was San Diego’s right guard in 2014, starting all 15 games he played for the team, a year after stepping in as the Chargers’ left guard. Even after the club signed Orlando Franklin in the offseason, it looked like Troutman would resume his duties at right guard this year, but he suffered a broken foreman in August.
As Gehlken tweets, Troutman had been rehabbing and said just yesterday that he would “definitely” return to action for the Chargers this season. However, San Diego could no longer afford to use one of its 53 roster spots on him, and had to move him to IR.
D.J. Fluker and Chris Hairston have seen action at right guard in Troutman’s absence.