The Los Angeles Chargers will be without  cornerback Jason Verrett for all of 2018 after he tore his Achilles in training camp, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Verrett's promising NFL career has been halted by numerous injuries thus far. One of the top shutdown corners from 2016 injured his knee in Week 1 of last season and was done for the entire year. Now, he's set to miss all of 2017.

Verrett was off to a promising start in his 2014 rookie season, but a shoulder injury limited him to just six games. It's an unfortunate event for the 27-year-old, whom many classify as a top-10 cornerback in the NFL.

The Chargers have already lost young tight end Hunter Henry for the season after he tore his ACL during OTAs. The team whom many have picked to win the AFC West are suddenly shorthanded on both sides of the ball, but the Chargers do have the pieces in place to get by.

Cornerback Casey Hayward earned a 96.4 grade from Pro Football Focus in 2017, which was the best among players at the position. He'll still be able to lead a defense that also features rising star pass-rusher, Joey Bosa.

Having Hayward and Verrett would have given the Chargers arguably the top cornerback duo in all of football, but the defense is talented enough to still carry this team. But for Verrett, it's imperative that he begins to stay healthy in 2019 and beyond, otherwise his NFL career could come to a surprisingly quick end.

The Chargers will be in a competitive race for the AFC West in 2018, as the Oakland Raiders look primed for a bounce-back year, while the defending division champion Kansas City Chiefs don't look ready to slow down just yet.

Los Angeles put together a fine 9-7 season in 2017 despite a handful of injuries to key players, namely Verrett. Though his absence undoubtedly makes the secondary worse, the talent is there for them to get by.

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