Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said he doesn't expect Keaton Mitchell to start the season on injured reserve.
Hortiz spoke to reporters on Monday and added that he expects Mitchell to play Week 1.
“That’s what he’s working for. Yeah," Hortiz said.
"He’s working through something, but nothing [major] Let's put it this way: we could put him down on IR today like we did with Denzel and we did not do that. So if that kind of answers your question.”
Mitchell did not practice on Monday and has missed four consecutive practices due to an undisclosed injury. He was off to the side working with trainers during Monday's practice.
The 24-year-old is set to enter his first season in Los Angeles. He signed with the Chargers this offseason after spending
the first three seasons of his career with the Ravens.
As things stand, Mitchell is set to play the RB2 behind Omarion Hampton. Hampton, 23, is expected to break out in a major way after an injury-riddled 2025 rookie season.
Mitchell is no stranger to the injury bug, having torn his ACL during his rookie season in 2023. Through three NFL seasons, he has played in just 26 games, appearing in only 50% of his team's games.
The Chargers hope Mitchell can overcome his injury history, but his health is already a concern entering the season. Still, Hortiz remains confident Mitchell will be just fine with less than two weeks until the season opener.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers' Keaton Mitchell gets encouraging update as Week 1 nears
