Chargers put safety Jaylen Watkins on IR, claim rookie off waivers

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Chargers placed safety Jaylen Watkins on injured reserve Sunday, ending his season.

Watkins suffered a torn ACL with 2 minutes, 41 seconds left in the first half of Saturday's preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks when teammate Melvin Ingram fell on his right leg while attempting to sack quarterback Russell Wilson.

Signed to a one-year, $880,000 agreement during free agency in April, Watkins was competing for a job at free safety. He made his first start for the Chargers against the Seahawks.

Watkins is the third player to sustain a torn ACL for the Chargers this year. Tight end Hunter Henry suffered a torn ACL during offseason work in May, and undrafted rookie tight end Austin Roberts sustained an ACL knee injury during the opening week of training camp.

The Chargers also lost cornerback Jason Verrett for the season for a third straight year due to a torn Achilles tendon injury that occurred during a conditioning drill a day before training camp opened up in July.

The Chargers filled Watkins' roster spot by claiming undrafted rookie safety Micah Hannemann off waivers from the Cleveland Browns.