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Chargers K Cameron Dicker Heads to Medical Tent in Preseason Finale
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- Chargers K Cameron Dicker Heads to Medical Tent in Preseason Finale
(Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)
Cameron Dicker's preseason finale came with a bit of drama, as the Los Angeles Chargers kicker took a trip to the medical tent during the team's matchup with the Los Angeles Rams .
The situation immediately raised some concern given the importance of consistent kickers in today's league. Dicker is essential to the success of the Bolts' special teams unit heading into the regular season. However, both Dicker and head coach Jim Harbaugh had reassuring updates following the game.
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Dicker said there was nothing serious going on after his trip to the medical tent and that there is no need to worry.
"Nothing's wrong. All good," Dicker said.
Harbaugh provided a similar assessment, saying Dicker was "working through something" but that he was not concerned about the kicker's health.
"Just something that came up tonight," Harbaugh said.
The Chargers were prepared to adjust if Dicker was needed later in the game. Harbaugh said punter JK Scott would have handled a potential field-goal attempt had Los Angeles needed one after Dicker left the game.
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While it ultimately did not become a major storyline, Dicker's exit still comes at an interesting time for Los Angeles. While the team appears comfortable with his status physically, his preseason performance has been less consistent than expected.
Dicker entered the preseason finale having already missed two extra-point attempts. He then added another miss Thursday night, failing to convert a 49-yard field-goal attempt before halftime.
Dicker has been one of the more dependable pieces of the Chargers' roster since taking over the kicking duties. His ability to consistently convert from distance and deliver in pressure situations has made him an important part of the team's special teams unit.
The Chargers have already dealt with special teams issues throughout the preseason. JK Scott drew criticism after allowing an 83-yard punt return touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers, with Harbaugh saying the veteran punter needed to have a better plan for making the tackle.
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Dicker's struggles therefore add another layer to a special teams unit that would like to clean things up before the regular season begins. Still, the biggest takeaway from Thursday night is that there does not appear to be significant concern surrounding Dicker's health.
The Chargers lost 20-18 to the Rams in the preseason finale, but with the regular season now officially on the horizon, Dicker's availability and consistency matters far more than anything that happened on the scoreboard Thursday night.
