Chargers RG Oday Aboushi Out for Season with Torn ACL

On Monday, the Chargers lost another offensive lineman when they got the news that right guard Oday Aboushi had torn his ACL in Sunday's win over the Cleveland Browns. Brandon Staley confirmed it on Monday.

He went out in the first quarter with a knee injury.

"Not the way I planned it to be, but the plan was always meant to be… I'll be back," said Aboushi on an Instagram post.

Because it is a confirmed ACL tear, that means he will be out the remainder of the season, and that is the first significant loss for this team this season.

They will miss Aboushi the rest of the way, but Staley is confident in Michael Schofield taking his place.

"I thought Scho did a really good job," Staley explained. "I felt like he battled in there, and I really felt like he gave us exactly what we kind of hoped when we brought him here was just that steady veteran presence, and I think you can't minimize that experience, or what he gives you."

The Chargers drafted guard Brenden Jaimes and looked like a major piece to the offensive line early in training camp. He has now been inactive the last few games.

"I think for us, it's just given him more time to develop," Staley explained. "It's not an ability issue right now for us. It's not like, 'oh, this guy's not capable of playing in the NFL right now' because that's not the case. We just want to make sure that he's ready. Full time and I think that he's progressing really well, and I'm not just saying that we just felt like at this point in the season, having a guy that could come in with, with some experience could help based off who we have outside of him too."

Staley basically doesn't want to rush him into a starting spot while also knowing he needs veteran voices on the offensive line.

Aboushi was signed in the offseason to help with the revamp of the offensive line. Along with Rashawn Slater, Corey Linsley, and Matt Feiler, he helped add a lot to the offense.

"I told the team this this morning is that it was a big mission statement of ours when we got here to make sure our offensive line was seen as a tough, rugged bunch of Jessie's out there playing," Staley explained. "Because I felt like we were going to have enough skill players, and I think we've created a real toughness in that group."

The offensive line is already down right tackle Bryan Bulaga, who is dealing with a back injury. He is scheduled to come off IR but has yet to.

Since Bulaga's injury, they have done a good job, but now with both of their players on the right side, it will be interesting to see how it holds up moving forward.

It is all about protecting quarterback Justin Herbert, so expect the Chargers brass to do everything in their power to make sure their superstar quarterback has the best offensive line protecting him.

"I feel like they've given us a really good chance to for us to be successful, and I'm really proud of that," Staley said. "We got to continue on that track because it doesn't get any easier as we go on."