It’s been nearly since Chargers defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia last touched a football field.
Ogbonnia, the 2022 fifth-round pick out of UCLA, missed Los Angeles’ final 11 games last year after suffering a ruptured left patellar tendon during Week 7 against the 49ers.
As a result, Ogbonnia began this season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Now that four games have passed, he is eligible to be activated off the list.
It remains to be seen when that time will come, but Ogbonnia was spotted at practice on Tuesday working off to the side with a trainer, according to NFL Media’s Bridget Condon.
It’s very encouraging to hear. Getting Ogbonnia back would give the Chargers a boost on the defensive line.
While he may not have stood out on the stat sheet, with 14 tackles and a tackle for loss in seven games in 2022, Ogbonnia was a reliable run defender by penetrating the backfield to cause havoc and occupying double teams.
We will continue to monitor the status of Ogbonnia.