The Chargers had hoped running back Danny Woodhead's knee injury was not as serious as it looked. But an MRI on Monday confirmed they've lost another player for the season.
Woodhead suffered a torn ACL in Sunday's 38-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He caught a pass and tried to make a cut to avoid a defender but was hit as he planted his right leg and the knee simply buckled.
Danny is a fan favorite and one of the favorite targets of quarterback Philip Rivers. Woodhead caught 80 passes a year ago and led all NFL running backs with 755 receiving yards.
This injury comes just one week after the Chargers lost wide receiver Keenan Allen to a torn ACL. San Diego already has two other running backs, Andre Williams and undrafted rookie Kenneth Farrow, on the roster and could use them as the third and fourth backs for the rest of the season. They may also look to add another through free agency.
Woodhead was also injured early in the 2014 season when he suffered a broken leg on a run in a September game in Buffalo. His absence will likely lead to a heavier workload for second-year running back Melvin Gordon, who set career highs with 24 carries and 102 yards against Jacksonville.
To take Woodhead's roster spot the Chargers signed former Colts wide receiver Griff Whalen. San Diego worked out Whalen last week after Allen was injured. The former Stanford wideout spent four years with the Colts, catching 45 passes for 487 yards and three touchdowns.
