There’s a good chance Billy Volek got a call from the Chargers on Thursday.
The longtime Chargers backup quarterback is unemployed after San Diego opted to bring Charlie Whitehurst back to the team after his Seahawks tenure came to an end, but it took one training camp practice for the Chargers to start thinking about other veteran quarterbacking options. Whitehurst ended the practice with his left knee wrapped in ice after suffering an injury during the session.
Whitehurst downplayed the severity of the injury after practice, but Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the Chargers were making calls to send out feelers for potential replacements on Thursday evening. Volek’s six years with the team mean that he won’t need to learn the offense, although there are other options like Kyle Boller, J.P. Losman, Dennis Dixon and A.J. Feeley on the market.
Whitehurst wasn’t the only player to leave Chargers practice with the help of the training staff. Left tackle Jared Gaither needed to be helped off the field after suffering what one Charger called a “full-body cramp.” Mario Henderson took his place and there’s no sign that the Chargers are also looking for outside help on that front.