Chargers Lose Te'o to Injury

For How Long? Who Knows?

Chargers rookie linebacker Manti Te'o spent his time at practice on Saturday walking the sidelines with a protective boot on his foot.

Not exactly the way the Bolts had hoped their projected starter would have come out of his first NFL game.

Head coach Mike McCoy delivered the news after practice.

"Manti has a foot sprain and he will be out this week," said McCoy. "I will give you any further updates as the week goes along or next week sometime. But he will be out for the week.”

That means Te'o will miss the 2nd pre season game next Thursday in Chicago, which is only a 90-minute drive from the University of Notre Dame, his alma mater. When asked to clarify the injury and its severity, McCoy only offered this:

“He has a foot sprain. I’ll say that and move on from there.”

Given the fact McCoy said on Tuesday that Danario Alexander's knee injury was not serious, when Alexander in fact had a torn ACL, Te'o situation could be anything from a mild sprain to "we have to amputate above the ankle."

Te'o played the first two series with the starting defense in San Diego's 31-10 loss to Seattle at Qualcomm Stadium on Thursday night. He did not record a tackle.

D.J. Smith, Bront Bird or Andrew Gachkar are the most likely replacements in the starting lineup.

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