49 Drue Tranquill LB

Coach Anthony Lynn said Wednesday that Tranquill (ankle) may return late in the season, Gilbert Manzano of The Orange County Register reports.

Tranquill broke his left ankle in the season opener and was promptly placed on injured reserve. There is a chance he could miss the rest of the 2020 season, but Lynn believes the linebacker could beat that timeline. Whether the Chargers allow Tranquill to return could depend on their need for linebacker depth and their position in the playoff race. Last season, the Notre Dame product recorded 70 tackles over the final 11 games.

Tranquill (ankle) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.

Tranquill sustained a broken ankle in Sunday's win over the Bengals and could miss the remainder of the 2020 season, so this move was expected. The Chargers elevated Asmar Bilal to the active roster to bolster their linebacker depth alongside Nick Vigil and Emeke Egbule.

Coach Anthony Lynn said Tranquill broke his left ankle during Sunday's 16-13 win over the Bengals, Gilbert Manzano of The Orange County Register reports.

This news was expected, but it's a big loss for the Chargers' defense nonetheless. Over just 382 defensive snaps in his rookie season, Tranquill piled up 75 tackles -- the second-highest figure on the team. Lynn stopped short of saying Tranquill is out for the remainder of the season, but the Notre Dame product will likely be placed on IR and miss substantial time. Emeke Egbule and Nick Vigil could both see an increase in usage in Tranquill's stead.

Early results indicate that Tranquill suffered a broken ankle during Sunday's 16-13 win over the Bengals, Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Tranquill notched a single tackle before being carted off the field Sunday. If the second-year pro is indeed forced to miss significant time due to a broken ankle, it will be a notable blow to a Chargers defense already reeling from the loss of Derwin James (knee). Count on Nick Vigil to handle an expanded snap count as long as Tranquill remains sidelined.

Tranquill suffered a leg injury in the team's Week 1 contest against the Bengals and will not return, Jay Morrison of The Athletic reports.

The injury appeared to be serious, as a cart came out to take Tranquill off the field and an air cast was applied to his leg. Nick Vigil will see an uptick in snaps in his absence. Coach Anthony Lynn said postgame he doesn't expect Tranquill back "any time soon," per Daniel Popper of The Athletic.

Tranquill is expected to occupy a three-down role this season, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.

This is a bit of a two-fold breakdown as there was some thought Tranquill could take over at middle linebacker, moving Denzel Perryman or 2020 first-round pick Kenneth Murray to the outside. Instead, Tranquill will start on the outside and should play every down as well with the likes of Murray or even Kyzir White rotating off the field in obvious passing situations. It's an important distinction in deeper IDP leagues as Tranquill registered 75 tackles despite playing just 322 defensive snaps his rookie year.

Tranquill finished his rookie campaign with 75 tackles and a pass defensed.

Tranquill quietly emerged as a legitimate force in the middle, posting 46 tackles from Weeks 10-17. That essentially coincided with the disappearance of Jatavis Brown, who is not expected to be retained by the Chargers this offseason. With both Thomas Davis and Denzel Perryman entering the 2020 season with one year remaining on their contracts, Tranquill could be the heir apparent to the starting inside linebacker job with another productive campaign.

Tranquill tallied eight tackles (seven total) in the 45-10 win Sunday over the Jaguars.

Throughout the last three games, Tranquill has emerged as the Chargers' top tackler, leading the team in two out of the three games, including a 14-tackle outing against the Raiders in Week 10. It's come at the cost of Thomas Davis, and to some extent Denzel Perryman, although the latter did not play Sunday due to disciplinary reasons.

Tranquill (calf) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice.

Tranquill appears to have fully shaken his lingering calf injury during the Chargers' bye. The rookie fourth-round pick played 100 percent of snaps on defense Week 10 against Oakland, and he could be in line for another key role against Denver on Sunday.

Tranquill (calf) is officially inactive for Monday's game against Kansas City, Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com reports.

Tranquill only logged limited practice time during the week, and as evidenced by this news, he couldn't shake the injury leading up to the primetime game. He'll be a major loss to the defense, especially considering he logged a team-high 14 tackles in Week 10's loss to Tennessee. However, Denzel Perryman (knee) is back to full health, and he'll be taking the reins of the starting middle linebacker job for the game.

Tranquill (calf) is now listed as questionable for Monday's matchup against the Chiefs.

Tranquill was a limited participant in Saturday's practice, but he wasn't initially handed an injury tag. This would be a major loss for the Chargers' defense, as Tranquill led the team in tackles in last week's loss to the Raiders, racking up 14. However, even if Tranquill suits up, it may be difficult to replicate that performance with Denzel Perryman likely at full health.

Tranquill tallied 14 tackles (six solo) in Thursday's 26-24 loss to the Raiders.

Denzel Perryman (knee) was active for the contest, but he spent his time on the sidelines while Tranquill stole the show. The rookie fourth-round pick doubled his season high in stops and now has 38 over his last six outings. Fantasy gamers may want to keep an eye on Tranquill in case Perryman can't shake his injury.

Tranquill (ankle) is active for Sunday's matchup with the Dolphins.

Tranquill was listed as questionable for Sunday's game after being limited in practice Friday. He's seen action exclusively on special teams through three weeks and will likely see a similar role against Miami.

The Chargers selected Tranquill in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, 130th overall.

Tranquill might not have the most intimidating name for a linebacker, but at 6-foot-2, 234 pounds the Notre Dame product has standout athleticism that lends a favorable projection as a special teams and coverage linebacker if nothing else. There's certainly the potential for more than that, though, as Tranquill was a leading contributor on a dominant Notre Dame defense, posting 19.5 tackles for loss over the last two years. Formerly a safety tweener, Tranquill's 4.57-second 40, 37.5-inch vertical, 122-inch broad jump, and 11.08 agility score are all strong marks by linebacker standards. He'll hope to get his foot into the door with strong special teams play behind a crowded Chargers linebacker rotation.