The Chargers clinched a playoff berth with a 40-7 romp of the Patriots on Saturday, but their victory came at a price. Defensive back Elijah Molden suffered a broken fibula that will end his 2024 season, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.
Molden was inactive in Week 16 due to a knee injury but returned to the lineup on Saturday with no injury designation. The former Washington Husky went down in the third quarter against New England and had to be carted off the field.
Molden joined the Chargers in August via trade from the Titans. Tennessee received a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for their 2021 third-rounder, who appeared in 33 games with 16 starts in his first three seasons, mostly as a slot corner.
Molden switched to safety in Los Angeles and emerged as a solid contributor on defense, playing 729 snaps over the team’s first fourteen games. He already reached career-highs with three interceptions and seven passes defended heading into Week 16, and his four tackles on Saturday brought him to 75 on the season, another personal record.
Now, Molden will have to watch the Chargers’ playoff run from the sidelines as he begins the recovery process for his broken leg. That rehab will also impact his market as an unrestricted free agent after this season. A return to Los Angeles would make sense after he smoothly acclimated to Jesse Minter’s defense despite joining the team just before the regular season started.