The Los Angeles Chargers have been hit as hard as any team by the injury bug this season, and yet they have somehow reached the playoffs for only the third time in the last 13 seasons.
One of their most significant injuries has been the groin tear that pass rusher Joey Bosa suffered in a Week 3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He had to undergo surgery and has been trying to ramp up his workouts for weeks, but on Thursday, he finally returned to the practice field.
Joey Bosa going through drills at practice. pic.twitter.com/dj3OncedBi
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) December 29, 2022
Bosa said that getting back on the field felt “revitalizing.”
“I’m feeling really good. It’s kind of revitalizing, honestly. This was something that really caused me a lot of pain and kind of stress throughout the last couple of years, and I’ve gotten to a point where I was used to it and I didn’t understand how much was really wrong,” Bosa said.
Despite the presence of Pro Bowl outside linebacker Khalil Mack, one shouldn’t underestimate the importance of Bosa to a Los Angeles defense that has struggled this season.
In two games and change, he has 1.5 sacks, two tackles for loss and four quarterback hits, but he has put up double-digit sacks in four of his previous six seasons.
As the Chargers have gotten healthier of late, they have won three games in a row, and they have held their opponents to 17 points or fewer in each of those contests.
They are looking to take Bosa off the injured list, and his return to the active roster could serve as some sort of catalyzer as the team hopes to make some noise in the postseason.
The Bolts will host the Los Angeles Rams, a team that is out of playoff contention, on Sunday, before wrapping up the regular season on the road versus the woeful Denver Broncos.
If Bosa plays in both contests, he can help ensure the Chargers reach double digits in wins, something which would be an accomplishment given how many players they have lost to injuries this year.
NEXT: Chargers Give Update On Derwin James And Austin Ekeler