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Younger brother of Chargers’ Casey Hayward dies in Georgia car crash

Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward (left) intercepts a pass intended for Buffalo Bills wide receiver Deonte Thompson during the first half of an NFL football game Nov. 19 in Carson.
(Mark J. Terrill / AP)
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Tragedy struck Casey Hayward’s family for the second straight year when the Chargers All-Pro cornerback’s younger brother, Jecaives Hayward, was killed in an automobile accident late Monday on Interstate 75 in Macon, Ga.

Hayward, whose mother, Tish, died in July 2016 after battling breast cancer, left the team Tuesday to return to Georgia. Fellow cornerback Trevor Williams said Hayward told him he planned to return Friday and play in Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

But the Chargers aren’t banking on the return of Hayward, a lock-down defender who has three interceptions in the last two games and is the highest-graded cornerback in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.

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“I told him he needs to go home and be with his family,” coach Anthony Lynn said. “If Casey makes it back and plays, that’s great. If he doesn’t, then we certainly understand. … Sometimes you get home and things change. He may have more on his plate than he thought. I told him to take care of things at home, and we’ll take care of this.”

According to a Bibb County Sheriff’s Office news release, Jecaives Hayward, 27, was a passenger in a 2011 Toyota Camry that struck a tractor trailer in the emergency lane at 11:46 p.m. Monday night.

He died after being ejected from the vehicle and struck by cars on I-75 South. Two other men in the car, driver Raymond Cox, 29, and Oker Smith, 32, were hospitalized and are in stable condition.

Williams spoke to Casey Hayward on Tuesday and said, “It seemed like he was in positive spirits. He’s handling it well. I wouldn’t have been able to do the same thing. Prayers out to him.”

Lynn said if Hayward does not return, Michael Davis would start at cornerback with rookie Desmond King remaining in the slot in nickel packages.

Playing catch-up

Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, 26, will return Sunday after sitting out nearly three seasons for multiple violations of the league’s substance-abuse policy, providing an interesting challenge for the Chargers defensive staff.

How do you prepare for an electrifying receiver who led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards and caught nine touchdown passes in 2013 but hasn’t played in an NFL game since Dec. 21, 2014?

“The last time he played he was an All-Pro, so we know he’s a heck of a receiver,” Lynn said. “He’s still young, so his skill set probably hasn’t diminished much. He’s one of the better run-after-catch receivers in the NFL. They’ll probably try to get him the ball short and he’ll try to run long with it.”

Notable

  • The Chargers signed former Browns kicker Travis Coons to the practice squad as insurance in case Nick Novak, who couldn’t finish last Thursday’s game because of a lower-back injury, can’t kick Sunday. Coons, who kicked at the University of Washington, made 28 of 32 field-goal attempts, including all 21 from 20-39 yards, and 22 of 24 extra points for Cleveland in 2015.
  • Receiver Mike Williams remained sidelined by a knee injury and appears doubtful for Sunday. Defensive tackle Corey Liuget (toe) did not practice Wednesday, and Novak and center Spencer Pulley (knee) were limited.

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DiGiovanna writes for the Los Angeles Times.

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