Bolts Ink New Practice Player With Must-Win Game Looming

Your 4-7 Los Angeles Chargers have made a personnel change ahead of a must-win matchup against the 2-9 New England Patriots, the worst team in the AFC by record. The Chargers, sadly, boast the second-worst record in the entire conference, occupying a three-way tie for that dubious distinction along with the Tennessee Titans and the New York Jets.

They have a very, very narrow path to still qualify for the playoffs, but they absolutely must not overlook what should be the only remaining automatic, guaranteed win on their schedule this week.

LA's newest addition, it has announced via its official Twitter/X account, is guard/tackle Austen Pleasants, who has inked a practice squad deal.

The 6'7", 330-pound Pleasants went undrafted out of Ohio in 2020. He's served as a practice player for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals. The 26-year-old has also previously seen some run with LA in 2022 and in August and September of this year.

The ailing Bolts are missing several hurt linemen, so addressing this roster element specifically makes sense. Is the plan to try out Pleasants in practice today and then possibly promote him to the team's standard 53-man active roster this weekend or next week? Or is LA adding Pleasants in anticipation of making another transaction? Stay tuned.

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