SAN DIEGO -- After missing two games due to lingering concussion symptoms, guard D.J. Fluker finally returned to practice for the San Diego Chargers.
Fluker was a full participant on Wednesday, and is hopeful to return to game action against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
“I’m a little bit rusty because I haven’t been out there for three weeks,” Fluker said. “It took me a while to get my conditioning back up, and I’m going to keep getting healthy.”
Fluker said his most recent concussion is the worst one he has experienced in his professional career. It included tingling sensations throughout his body and persistent headaches.
“I love football,” Fluker said. “I can play through any injuries when I’m hurt, but playing with my brain, that’s a whole different subject.”
Fluker said he suffered a second concussion against the Kansas City Chiefs on Nov. 22, five days after having one at a Wednesday practice, taking a blow on top of his head.
Defensive lineman Sean Lissemore (shoulder), defensive lineman Corey Liuget (foot), cornerback Brandon Flowers (knee) and receiver Dontrelle Inman (neck) did not practice on Wednesday.
Quarterback Philip Rivers (foot), tackle King Dunlap (ankle) and linebacker Manti Te’o (not injury-related) were limited. Rivers said he expects to play against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
Brown returns to the fold: Rivers said it was like Vincent Brown never left, having the team’s third-round selection in the 2011 draft back on the roster this week. The Chargers signed Brown on Wednesday, making room on the roster by waiving safety Adrian Philips.
The Chargers also placed tight end Alex Bayer on the practice squad/injured list, and added tight end Tim Semisch, a rookie out of Northern Illinois, to the practice squad.
Rivers said that Brown was impressive, picking up where he had left off in terms of his familiarity with San Diego’s offense.
“He hasn’t been here in this offense in some time,” Rivers said. “And then he’s out there today, and I gave him a signal for something that we hadn’t really talked about. But it was the same signal that we had when he was here. And he picked it up like that [Rivers snapped his fingers], and he ran it.
“So he looked smooth, looked good.”
After bouncing around the league, including stops with the Oakland Raiders and the Indianapolis Colts, Brown said he was pleased to be back in San Diego.
“It feels like I woke up from a long nightmare,” Brown said. “I’m happy to be back. I did the workout and everything, and everything went well.”
Reid ready for Rivers’ best: Even though the Chiefs beat the Chargers by 30 points three weeks ago in San Diego and are riding a six-game winning streak, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid said he’s not taking Sunday’s game for granted.
“With Philip Rivers, if we went and played at the 7-Eleven parking lot he’s going to bring it,” Reid said. “We just know how that rolls.”
Added Kansas City edge rusher Tamba Hali: “He plays with a lot of confidence. There’s no need to talk trash to Philip because he feeds off of that so we’re not going to give him what he needs. Basically, if we start talking trash, he may play better.”