EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris, who sustained an eye injury in a fireworks mishap on July 4, will likely begin training camp on the non-football injury/illness (NFI) list, general manager Joe Hortiz said Wednesday.
If Harris does end up on the NFI list, Hortiz said he doesn't expect the stay to be long.
"Nothing is set in stone," Hortiz said.
If Harris is placed on the NFI list, he can return to practice when cleared by the team, but if, for some reason, he remains on the NFI list after roster cutdown, he will have to miss at least the first four games of the regular season.
Multiple people were injured and a friend of Harris lost fingers during the incident on July 4. Harris' agent, Doug Hendrickson, said his client's injury was "superficial" and that Harris is expected to be ready for the upcoming NFL season.
Hortiz has talked to Harris, but he and the Chargers' medical staff have yet to see the extent of his injury.
As veterans reported to training camp on Wednesday, Harris was in the Bay Area seeing doctors at Stanford, with whom he has been working for the past two weeks. Hortiz said that Chargers director of player health and performance Marco Zucconi is in regular contact with Harris' doctors in the Bay Area after each appointment and that "everything that's been relayed to us has been positive."
Hortiz said that Harris would report to camp Wednesday evening and the Chargers would determine his status. The Chargers begin training camp practice Thursday.
"Surface-level injury," Hortiz said. "Obviously around the eye, so I'm sure there's bruising and all that. We haven't seen him, so we'll get more clarity when he gets in here and our doctors see him."
Hortiz grouped Harris with wide receiver Mike Williams, who is on the physically unable to perform list, saying that he expects both players to be back relatively quickly. Williams, whom the Chargers signed in the offseason to be a deep threat in the passing offense, sustained an injury in the spring that Hortiz didn't disclose, but says the Chargers aren't worried about.
As is the same with safety Elijah Molden, who is on the PUP list as he recovers from offseason surgery, but is expected to be back at practice relatively early in camp.
