COSTA MESA, Calif. _ The Los Angeles Chargers finally received good news regarding a player's availability when Russell Okung announced he was returning.
The team's starting left tackle had been out since June after suffering a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in his lung.
He remains on the nonfootball illness list. Once Okung practices, the Chargers have three weeks to activate him.
In a social media post Thursday morning, Okung called his road back "an intense battle" and wrote that he would be "back to football as early as Week 7."
The Chargers (2-4) play at Tennessee on Sunday.
Okung and the Chargers also reworked his contract in order to give him the opportunity to earn his entire scheduled 2019 salary of $13 million.
Trent Scott, an undrafted player out of Grambling State in his second season, has been starting in Okung's absence.
Also on Thursday, the Chargers placed wide receiver Travis Benjamin on injured reserve because of a quadriceps issue. To fill the open roster spot, they re-signed defensive tackle T.Y. McGill.
Benjamin has had a problem with dropped passes this season. In five games, he had six receptions for 30 yards.
