After beating the Denver Broncos 23-16 in Week 6, the Los Angeles Chargers shook up their defense by signing Eli Apple. The team’s cornerback room has dealt with injuries throughout the season, and this addition should strengthen their defense a bit more, at least in the short term. On one hand, the Chargers won against the Broncos without their top three cornerbacks, and they probably wouldn’t want to enter Week 7 without a solid CB presence.
“Chargers sign veteran CB Eli Apple, source says”, as reported by NFL Insider Tom Pelissero on X, formerly Twitter. “Apple will start on the practice squad.”
Chargers sign veteran cornerback
Before the Broncos game, the Chargers had already dealt with injuries to their defensive players. First, Ja’Sir Taylor missed the game with a leg injury, while the team placed Asante Samuel Jr. on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.
Then, Kristian Fulton left the Broncos game with a hamstring injury after already entering the game with a knee issue. It was doubtful whether he would return.
Even head coach Jim Harbaugh suffered an arrhythmic attack in the first quarter, forcing him to leave the game to seek medical attention. During his absence, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter assumed head coaching duties, although Harbaugh returned to the field to coach his team to victory.
However, this cornerback story also affected the Broncos, as Patrick Surtain II suffered a concussion on their first defensive play, and the Chargers exploited his absence until the end.
“As long as we execute and do everything we can as an offensive unit, I think we’re going to like the outcome,” Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said, via a report from the Associated Press.
Additionally, Herbert went 21-34 for 237 yards with a touchdown. His 21 completions and 237 passing yards were also season highs.
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“I thought he was as accurate as he could be, or as a quarterback could be,” Coach Harbaugh said. “There were some great throws, some good moves to avoid pressure. He was just putting the ball in the right place throughout the game. I was super impressed.
Problems
However, the Chargers will need some solid defenders in Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals and beyond while they wait for their top cornerbacks to return to the field.
Although Eli Apple didn’t live up to the hype of a No. 10 pick, he gave some production for the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals, where he reignited his career in 2021- 2022. His veteran experience also means he can start in a pinch, if the team needs additional bodies in the backfield.
