The Facts: Chargers brass are cautiously optimistic Williams, their first-round draft pick, can avoid back surgery, but he likely will begin the season on the physically unable to perform list once the team opens training camp Sunday. "He's been responding well," GM Tom Telesco said Thursday. "The path, right now, is rehab and strengthening. That's good news, obviously."

Diehards Line: Williams was diagnosed with a lower-back disk herniation that kept him out of offseason work after he suffered the injury on the first day of rookie minicamp at Chargers Park in San Diego in May. However, the Clemson product recently received a second epidural shot and has responded positively. The Chargers hope he can make it onto the field at some point during training camp so they can get him ready for the regular season. "He'll see our doctors this weekend and will get more of a timetable of where he is," Telesco said. "I think he's more trending towards not working early in camp, which is not a surprise. But we'll kind of take it from there. ..." Stay tuned. We'll continue to watch for more.