The Chargers won’t go with a two-kicker setup on Sunday, choosing instead to place Nick Novak on IR.
The team announced the move, one that will make room on the roster for practice squad promotion Travis Coons, who begin his Bolts game tenure by kicking against his former team. Coons’ upcoming Browns work will make him the fourth kicker to participate for the Chargers this season, with Novak replacing YoungHoe Koo and punter Drew Kaser stepping in for an injured Novak on Thanksgiving.
Novak aggravated a back injury against the Cowboys, and it will almost certainly end his season. Coons has not kicked in a game since the 2015 season. Novak finished his 13th NFL campaign going 9-for-13 on field goal tries and making 17 of his 18 extra points.
Novak spent training camp with the Texans, with whom the 36-year-old specialist kicked for the previous two seasons. But the Texans cut him. Once Koo’s struggles became too much for the Bolts, they turned to Novak — their kicker from 2011-14.