COSTA MESA — Forty different kickers have attempted at least one field goal during the 2017 NFL season. Ten percent of them have had their own locker at Hoag Performance Center, the Chargers’ practice headquarters.

The Chargers claimed Nick Rose off waivers on Monday, making him their fourth full-time placekicker this season. With just two regular-season games left, the Texas alum will continue living out of a hotel through December. If the team claws its way into the playoffs, he’ll look for more permanent accommodations.

Related Articles Defensive end Joey Bosa headlines Chargers’ four 2018 Pro Bowl selections

Antonio Gates ready to step up as career winds down with Chargers

Meet this week’s Chargers opponent: New York Jets Both parties hope their relationship will last even longer.

“We’re looking for a kicker we can keep around here for a few years,” Coach Anthony Lynn said.

Earlier this month, Rose still thought he had a chance to earn such a role on the other side of the country.

He made his NFL regular-season debut on Oct. 23 at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, the first of eight appearances as a temporary replacement for Washington kicker Dustin Hopkins — who was sidelined by a strained right hip. He got on the board with a 27-yard field goal less than four minutes into the game, and added three extra points before the day was done.

Over two months, Rose made 10 of 11 field goals, including a 55-yarder against the Vikings in Week 10. It was only his second try from beyond 40 yards, but with Hopkins still out, the 23-year-old figured he had earned a shot at the full-time gig.

“His contract was up this year,” Rose said Thursday. “I had some faith I could have stayed there for a while.”

It wasn’t meant to be. An 84.3-percent career kicker, Hopkins returned to practice last Wednesday. Three days later, Washington activated him from injured reserve, waiving Rose.

Rose’s Washington stint ended, oddly enough, at StubHub Center — where he missed one of two extra-point attempts in a 30-13 loss to the Chargers (7-7). Not exactly a sterling audition for his new team, but Los Angeles hadn’t exactly set a high bar at the position.

The Chargers began the season with rookie Younghoe Koo, who missed three of his first four field goal attempts and lasted just four games. Next in line was veteran Nick Novak, who went nine of 13 before being placed on injured reserve with an ailing lower back. Travis Coons then stepped in for three games; he made seven straight field goals after clanking a 38-yard attempt, but also missed an extra point last Saturday in Kansas City.

What also bothered the Chargers was his performance on kickoffs. Coons only had five touchbacks on 15 kickoffs, with his 10 others being taken back for a total of 273 yards — including a 50-yard return this past weekend at Arrowhead Stadium.

Rose led the nation in touchback percentage (72.1) as a junior at Texas in 2014. Against the Chargers two weeks ago, he kicked deep into the end zone on the opening kickoff, and cleared the painted grass entirely on a later attempt.

Asked if he considered kickoffs one of his strengths, Rose demurred. His priority, he said, was to stay well rounded.

“Everybody has strengths and weaknesses,” he said. “I think it comes down to how well you can do on your bad days, if you can still do everything pretty well.”

Injury report

Backup running back Austin Ekeler continued to practice with his left hand heavily wrapped, and expects to be a game-time decision against the Jets at MetLife Stadium. The rookie will not need surgery on the bone below his left ring finger — not unless he further damages his hand during practice or a game.

Although Ekeler is able to use his fingers outside of football, the break in his palm has not healed enough for him to wear a smaller brace when risking live contact. That he can only use his right hand likely restricts him to special teams duties against the Jets, if he plays at all.

Left tackle Russell Okung (groin) and right tackle Joe Barksdale (hip) were held out for a second straight practice, and remain day-to-day.

“You’d like to see them return at some point this week,” Lynn said Thursday.

If necessary, sixth-round rookie Sam Tevi would replace Okung, while fourth-year pro Michael Schofield would fill in for Barksdale. Schofield has appeared in every game this season, and started five when Barksdale was sidelined by a foot injury.