Recently Acquired Clay Expected to Miss at Least Week With Injury

The injury that Charger left tackle John Clay sustained Tuesday is worse than originally thought.

Coach Al Saunders announced Wednesday that the injury is now being called a “severe pull of the hip flexor” muscle and that Clay is expected to be out at least a week.

Clay is the player the Chargers received July 30 from the Raiders in the controversial Jim Lachey trade. Clay reported to the Chargers from the Raiders with a bad back. Saunders said he didn’t think the hip injury was in any way related. Clay said the same.

The Chargers will move Gary Kowalski back to left tackle in Clay’s absence. Rookie David Richards is now the right tackle. Saunders said if the injury to Clay keeps him out longer than a week, “it really puts him behind.”

Clay agreed. “This is going to hurt me as far as getting reps (repetitions) in practice,” he said.

Clay said he is still trying to recover from the shock of the trade and hasn’t found a permanent place to live. And he’s not convinced that he’s a better player than Lachey, even though that’s what the Chargers are saying now.

“That remains to be seen,” Clay said. “I’ve still got to do it. He is a proven player.”

Clay is in his second year in the league, Lachey in his fourth.