Nate Kaeding will be placed on IR. Chargers required to release him when he's healthy. Figure Kaeding kicking for someone else in few weeks.

— UTKevinAcee (@UTKevinAcee) October 22, 2012

It's the ol' Shawne Merriman treatment for Nate Kaeding, and another era ends for the San Diego Chargers. The team cannot release an injured player, so they'll IR him until he's healthy and release him then.

It's a real shame to see the most accurate Kicker in the history of the NFL ends his time in San Diego due to injury, without a chance to redeem himself to the fans for missing playoffs FGs in 2009.

Nick Novak, who was great for the first-half of last season before turning back into a mediocre Kicker, will be his replacement for the rest of the season (barring injury or a complete meltdown). However, the 31 year old is not signed beyond this season. San Diego could look to add a new Kicker through the 2013 NFL draft.

For his career, Nate Kaeding has made an astounding 87.0% of his field goal attempts. He was 7-for-7 in 2012 before injuring his groin.