APIt has been more than a month since Chargers left tackle Jared Gaither came down with back spasms and he hasn’t touched a practice field.
Information about Gaither’s status has been scarce beyond the fact that he can’t play football, a string that will extend through Thursday’s preseason finale against the 49ers. Gaither was ruled out of that contest on Tuesday while he was heading for a second MRI that the team hopes will give them some kind of idea about when the man they signed to a four-year, $26 million deal might be ready to get back on the field.
Week One is rapidly approaching and Scott Bair of the North County Times reports that concern about Gaither playing in that game is starting to rise. Coach Norv Turner wouldn’t cop to a big difference on that front, but it doesn’t take much to see it looming over the team.
“We’re trying to get him back on the practice field. When he does that, we’ll have a much better idea about what’s realistic and what isn’t,” Turner said. If he doesn’t practice, it’s going to be hard to play in the opener.”
This isn’t where you want to be with the start of the regular season around the corner, especially since the Chargers’ contingency plan — undrafted rookie Mike Harris — has had a predictably difficult time making the leap to the NFL. The Chargers could move left guard Tyronne Green outside, but they didn’t re-sign Gaither so that they could scramble to do the same kind of patchwork job that they were forced to do last year until Gaither arrived to solidify the line.
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As a Ravens fan who watched this charade for an entire season in Baltimore, I’m not surprised. An exceptional talent who just doesn’t love the game. This won’t end well for the Chargers
Dont draft rivers in fantasy lg’s raiders big men upfront ganna beat him up monday night. No V brown, no r mathews, no gaithers. Raiders ganna crush them. old leather face turner ganna need a new job.
He was a joke in Baltimore and still is. That’s why the Ravens had no problem letting him go. He’s the anthesis of Michael Oher in terms of work habits, intangibles and accountability.
I can’t wait to see the Raiders D line get medieval on Rivers and this horrible O-line week one. That’s where the Raiders win the game. Oakland will dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
This guy is a total fraud cut his butt and sue to get back the signing bonus. I would offer two number one picks both to Cleveland and Miami for Joe Thomas and Jake Long.
Poor Chargers…ask the Ravens about his back problems.
The Chargers knew what they were getting and they went ahead with it anyway.
No sympathy here.
As others have said, this guy had the opportunity to become the successor to the great Jonathan Ogden and pissed it away. Too bad because he could have been great as well if he actually cared.
Hope all my feathered friends who to this day still say the Ravens should’ve KEPT Gaither are paying attention. What a joke.
As a Charger fan I usually defend my team especially when Raider fans always chime in…but I have no argument on this one. Gaither is a little baby and if we cannot shore up our O-line it will not be a pretty season.
I still think the Raider fans are extremely delusional to think their team is so readily going to defeat the Chargers…. lol Come on…
This poor excuse for a football player is scamming any team stupid enough to give him a contract. He signs and promptly has back spasms; the kind that cannot be diagnosed by MRIs or scans, or even seen! He is getting rich off the delusions of GMs who think they can get him to actually WANT to play football! What a waste of potential to decide to cheat those who give him money!
House41:
Even with a battered O-Line, the Chargers are still likely a greater match than the Raiders can handle. On both sides of the ball. I recall watching the last game of 2011, in Oakland, with the playoffs a win away, and Oakland choked. Not much has changed with the players, since, to convince any objective football viewer that your fanatical opinions are anything more than delusional.
Don’t say we didn’t tell you so.
Signed,
Baltimore
Gaither’s back goes out every time someone puts money in his pocket.