Bolts lose Jackson for year, Williams for weeks

COSTA MESA, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers seemingly cannot catch a break with their streak of injuries.

Cornerback J.C. Jackson will miss the remainder of the season after rupturing the patella tendon in his right knee in a 37-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, coach Brandon Staley said Monday.

And wide receiver Mike Williams suffered a right high ankle sprain that will sideline him for a “matter of weeks, not days,” Staley said.

The Chargers are 4-3, in second place in the AFC West behind the 5-2 Kansas City Chiefs, and enter a much-needed bye in Week 8.

The loss of Jackson for the season and Williams indefinitely is the latest blow to the injury-riddled Chargers, who also are without Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater and Pro Bowl edge rusher Joey Bosa — both of whom were placed on injured reserve following Week 3.

Staley expressed uncertainty whether the Bolts’ ever-evolving list of injuries would affect the team’s activity at the trade deadline or in free agency as they continue a push for their first playoff berth since 2018.

“I think in the next couple days, we’ll be able to assess our team a lot better,” Staley said. “We’ll take the next couple days and … make those types of discussions happen, and we’ll see.

“We’re always going to look for avenues to enhance our team and make it better.”

The possibility remains that Bosa, who underwent surgery for a groin tear, could return later this season.

“Joey is making progress,” Staley said. “I don’t have a timetable for his return other than he’s making progress … we’re looking forward to him coming back as soon as possible.”

Slater is expected to miss the rest of this season because of a left biceps tear.

Wide receiver Keenan Allen returned against the Seahawks after missing five games because of an injury to his left hamstring. He caught two passes for 11 yards, playing in only the first half.

“Just didn’t feel like he could really burst the way that he wanted to and didn’t want to risk anything happening,” Staley said of Allen’s return and limited snap count. “So no step back yesterday, but just didn’t want to push it.”

In Allen’s absence, Williams has led the Bolts with 37 receptions for a team-high 495 yards and three touchdowns.

Jackson’s injury occurred with 1 minute, 40 seconds remaining the first half when he jumped to defend a 23-yard touchdown pass caught by wide receiver Marquise Goodwin.

The Chargers signed Jackson to a five-year, $82.5 million deal in free agency after he played four seasons with the New England Patriots and led the NFL over that span with a league-high 25 interceptions.

Since arriving in L.A., Jackson missed two of the first four games of the season after undergoing ankle surgery in August.

In five games, Jackson had yet to find similar success to what he experienced with the Patriots.

His season ends with two pass deflections and 15 tackles.