Chargers offensive lineman Michael Schofield is ready to step into the spotlight, wherever it is

Right guard Michael Schofield winced as he stepped behind the metallic podium Monday afternoon after the Chargers wrapped up another practice under a cloudless sky.

“Wow,� he said. “That’s bright.�

You’ll have to give Schofield a little time for his eyes to adjust — he’s spent most of the summer in his wife’s enormous shadow.

You might’ve heard of her and, if you watched the Winter Olympics, you almost certainly cheered for her.

Kendall Coyne (now Kendall Coyne Schofield) was one of the leaders for the gold medal-winning U.S. women’s hockey team in PyeongChang, scoring a pair of goals. She appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.� In Chicago, the couple’s hometown, she was sports royalty. She dropped the puck at a Blackhawks game and threw out the first pitch at a White Sox game, spending an inning in the broadcast booth.

While all of this happened, Schofield was there … with no eyes on him.

“It was fun. It was different because I was just following her around,� he said. “It was awesome to be in her shadow and she was the one getting all of the attention. After [2015], when I won the Super Bowl [with Denver], that’s kind of what it was with me. She was kind of following me, so it was nice to see her get all the recognition and follow her around. … They were doing everything; it was just awesome.�

The two were married on July 7.

At Chargers camp, though, the spotlight is pointed in Schofield’s direction. He is working with the first unit as projected starter Forrest Lamp works his way back from a pair of knee surgeries.

Schofield, who signed just before the start of last season after he was cut by Denver, filled in at right tackle when Joe Barksdale was slowed by injuries. He re-signed this offseason.

“That’s kind of what I’ve been doing my whole career — wherever they need me,� he said. “I’m kind of a plug-and-play guy. I can play guard. I can play tackle. Right now, they need me at guard, so that’s where I’m going to be.�

The Chargers signed Schofield, in part, because his versatility provided insurance during Lamp’s recovery.

“We wanted Mike back anyway because Mike can play guard and tackle,� coach Anthony Lynn said. “He started 16 games with Denver and won a Super Bowl with them. So, we feel like he can help us, and we got him back to compete for a starting job and depth. With Forrest out, it helps because we can put him into guard because you have a veteran in there now.�

The Chargers have not put a timeline on Lamp’s return to practice, but Lynn hopes he will be able to participate in at least one preseason game.

Even if Lamp is healthy, he still has much to prove, considering he essentially has not practiced since being drafted in the second round a year ago.

If Lamp comes back and Schofield moves back to reserve duty, the veteran will be comfortable with it. He’s regarded by other Chargers as a selfless teammate.

And, when it comes to winning, being in the shadows is not such a bad place.

Injury update

The Chargers will open their preseason schedule Saturday in Arizona without a handful of players, including rookie wide receiver Dylan Cantrell, who Lynn said is suffering from a bone bruise.

Seventh-round pick Justin Jackson didn’t practice again Monday as he deals with a sore hamstring.

Both players are competing for spots on the back end of the roster, and with limited reps going to the starters in the first preseason game, their absences could provide opportunities for other hopefuls to step up.

Etc.

First-round pick Derwin James has seen his reps with the starting defense increase since he returned from a hamstring injury, playing both safety spots at times. … On the linebacker front, second-round pick Uchenna Nwosu had a pair of sacks in 11-on-11 drills and continued to impress coaches. He and fourth-round pick Kyzir White also have had first-team defensive reps during camp.

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