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Here's your injury report for the San Diego Chargers heading into their Monday night matchup against the Houston Texans....
Manti Te'o (foot) only Charger who did not practice today. Everyone else a full participant.
— Michael Gehlken (@UTgehlken) September 5, 2013
Oh. That's good, I guess. That means the rest of the team is healthy! It probably means that Te'o won't play in Week 1 though.
Who will start in Manti Te'o's place? Once of those inside linebackers that Tom Telesco scurried to sign after final cut day?
LB Manti Te'o did not practice Wednesday due to foot injury. Chargers preparing Bront Bird to start Monday vs. Texans.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 5, 2013
That tweet is from last night, but the point remains the Bront Bird appears to still be the #1 option to be standing next to Donald Butler at the start of Monday Night Football on ESPN. That makes sense. Te'o played less than a quarter of NFL football a month ago and hasn't even practiced since. There's no way he could be ready by Monday if he's not yet practicing with the team.
I know a lot of people still view Bront Bird as the undrafted free agent rookie that struggled when thrown into starting duty (mostly as an outside linebacker) in 2011, instead of the guy that played well filling in for Takeo Spikes and Donald Butler last season. Is he a great linebacker? No, but his coverage skills are excellent and him starting could give San Diego a leg up in slowing down Owen Daniels. They'll simple need the defensive line and the other linebackers to do what they can to stop Arian Foster.