The Los Angeles Chargers had been preparing for the worst when it came to JC Jackson's status for their Week 1 contest against the Las Vegas Raiders. Jackson had to undergo surgery for an ankle injury that was expected to hold him out two-to-four weeks. Unsurprisingly, that threw Jackson's status for Week 1 into doubt, and the Chargers weren't expecting him to be ready to go in time for their season opener.

That may have changed this afternoon, though, as Jackson got an encouraging update on his injury status at L.A.'s practice this afternoon. Reports have surfaced that Jackson's walking boot is off, and Chargers head coach Brandon Staley referred to Jackson as a game time decision for Week 1.

This certainly isn't a confirmation that Jackson will play, but it's a better update than the one that came out earlier today. Jackson seemed very unlikely to play, but now he may end up being ready to go sooner than expected, which would be a huge win for the Chargers and their marquee free agent signing.

Jackson is expected to play a big role in Los Angeles' new defense, and having him on the field against the Raiders to open the season would be huge. The Raiders have a shiny new wideout in Davante Adams for Derek Carr to throw to, and if Jackson can play, he will most likely be the guy responsible for locking up Adams.

If JC Jackson can play and do just that, the Chargers will have a good shot to open their season with a win, which would be a huge victory considering the state of the ultra-competitive AFC West this season.