National Football League

Floyd's knee sore after injury scare

Published Aug. 13, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

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Seeing Malcom Floyd crumpled on the ground with a knee injury, Philip Rivers wondered if he'd just thrown his final pass to the 10-year veteran.

"I thought the same thing, too," Floyd said Tuesday, less than 24 hours after straining his right knee when he collided with cornerback Shareece Wright during practice. "I came down pretty funny. I was pretty contorted. That stuff goes through your head when you go through something like that. But I'm here walking and it's something we're going to take day by day."

Floyd and the Chargers got good news when an MRI exam Monday evening revealed a strained knee, not a more serious injury like the one that will sideline fellow starting wide receiver Danario Alexander for the year.

"It was scary, how I came down it," Floyd said. "But, you know, MRIs don't lie."

The Chargers don't know when Floyd will return to the field following Monday's injury. It could be two to four weeks, or longer. The Chargers open the regular season at home against Houston on Sept. 9.

Floyd said the knee is sore, but added: "I'm walking on it, in Crocs."

He was wearing a white pair of the plastic shoes.

"I was excited. I'm not going to lie," coach Mike McCoy said about his reaction to hearing that it was a strain.

The last thing the Chargers needed was to have Floyd out for the year, like Alexander. Alexander, who has a history of knee injuries, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee a week ago.

Although Floyd was moving slowly, "He's doing great today," McCoy said. "It was a great relief last night to get the news that we received. When guys go down you always fear the worst and then we got the news that we did. It is what it is and he'll be back out here as soon as he can. He had a smile on his face this morning because it wasn't anything serious."

Floyd and Wright collided during a one-on-one drill. Wright also collided with Alexander when he got hurt.

"It's been tough. Just looking at the film, I felt better than how it looked," Floyd said. "It could have been worse and I'm in a better position now than I was laid out on the field."

Floyd said he texted Alexander "to say that I could be in his position. He just wished me the best of luck going forward."

He said he hadn't spoken with Wright.

"It's just part of the game. It's a physical sport and my past couple injuries happened because of the physical nature of the sport. Fortunately, I kind of dodged a bullet with this one."

He's been slowed by hamstring, hip and ankle injuries, and has played a full season just once, in 2009.

Rivers was relieved.

"The thought crossed my mind after the play, because it looked so bad, I wondered if it was the last pass I ever threw him," the quarterback said. "Because you never know. It was almost like getting a new player."

Also Tuesday, rookie receiver Keenan Allen left practice early to receive treatment on his left knee, which he injured last season while at Cal.

"He has the wear and tear of camp," McCoy said. "He had a little ding when we brought him in from college and it got to the point today where we thought he should go in and get some treatment. We rested a lot of guys today, because they've been doing a lot of running. It was just a good day to give him a little extra treatment."

The Chargers play at Chicago on Thursday night.