Justin Herbert

2024 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker

May 1st, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

NFL teams have until May 2 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2020 first-rounders who are entering the final year of their rookie deals. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of the player’s position, initial draft placement and performance- and usage-based benchmarks:

Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternate Pro Bowlers) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag.
One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag.
Players who achieve any of the following will get the average of the third-20th highest salaries at their position:
- At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
- A 75% snap average across all three seasons
- At least 50% in each of first three seasons
Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position.

With the deadline looming, we’ll use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league:

QB Joe Burrow, Bengals ($29.5MM): Exercised
DE Chase Young, Commanders ($17.45MM): Declined
CB Jeff Okudah, Falcons* ($11.51MM): N/A
T Andrew Thomas, Giants ($14.18MM): Exercised
QB Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins ($23.2MM): Exercised
QB Justin Herbert, Chargers ($29.5MM): Exercised
DT Derrick Brown, Panthers ($11.67MM): Exercised
LB Isaiah Simmons, Cardinals ($12.72MM): Declined
CB C.J. Henderson, Jaguars** ($11.51MM): Declined
T Jedrick Wills, Browns ($14.18MM): Exercised
T Mekhi Becton, Jets ($12.57MM): Declined
WR Henry Ruggs, Raiders: N/A
T Tristan Wirfs, Buccaneers ($18.24MM): Exercised
DT Javon Kinlaw, 49ers ($10.46MM): Declined
WR Jerry Jeudy, Broncos ($14.12MM): Exercised
CB AJ Terrell, Falcons ($12.34MM): Exercised
WR CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys ($17.99MM): Exercised
OL Austin Jackson, Dolphins ($14.18MM): Declined
CB Damon Arnette, Raiders: N/A
DE K’Lavon Chaisson, Jaguars ($12.14MM): Declined
WR Jalen Reagor, Vikings*** ($12.99MM): To decline
WR Justin Jefferson, Vikings ($19.74MM): Exercised
LB Kenneth Murray, Chargers ($11.73MM): Declined
G Cesar Ruiz, Saints ($14.18MM): Declined
WR Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers ($14.12MM): Exercised
QB Jordan Love, Packers ($20.27MM): Extended through 2024
LB Jordyn Brooks, Seahawks ($12.72MM): Declined
LB Patrick Queen, Ravens ($12.72MM): Declined
T Isaiah Wilson, Titans: N/A
CB Noah Igbinoghene, Dolphins ($11.51MM): Declined
CB Jeff Gladney, Vikings: N/A
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs ($5.46MM): To decline

* = Lions traded Okudah on April 11, 2023
** = Jaguars traded Henderson on Sept. 27, 2021
*** = Eagles traded Reagor on August 31, 2022

Chargers To Pick Up Justin Herbert’s Fifth-Year Option

April 28th, 2023 at 5:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Day 2 of the NFL draft is about to begin, but the Chargers have made a noteworthy (if entirely unsurprising) decision with the central figure already on their roster. Los Angeles will pick up quarterback Justin Herbert‘s fifth-year option, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Doing so will lock him in to a cap hit of just over $29.5MM in 2024.

The news comes on a busy week of QB developments, including the Jets’ long-awaited trade acquisition of Aaron Rodgers being agreed upon and Lamar Jackson‘s Ravens extension materializing. Herbert’s 2020 draft classmate, Joe Burrow, also had his option picked up by the Bengals. The Chargers are taking the same path with their franchise signal-caller, as attention is sure to turn on the possibility of a long-term extension soon following.

Herbert, 25, is eligible for a second contract, and his market may have seen two benchmarks established recently. The deals signed by Jalen Hurts with the Eagles and by Jackson (worth $51MM and $52MM per season, respectively) will no doubt be used during negotiations for both Herbert and Burrow. The former has one Pro Bowl nod on his resume, along with a first career postseason appearance in 2022.

The Oregon product earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020, but has been maligned for the team’s lack of sustained success during his tenure. Herbert has nevertheless done enough to convince the Chargers to commit to him for the 2024 campaign, as they prepare to presumably take contract negotiations to a new level in the near future.

The Chargers have made it clear they have started talks with Herbert on what will be a monster deal. He may not land a contract with the AAV of Jackson, Hurts and (quite possibly, Burrow), but he should still be well-positioned to spend the foreseeable future in Los Angeles. At a minimum, he will be in place for the next two years as he and the team look to build off their success from last year.

Chargers, Justin Herbert Talking Extension

March 28th, 2023 at 6:19pm CST by Ben Levine

Justin Herbert recently became eligible to sign an extension, and the Chargers confirmed that they’ve started negotiations with their franchise quarterback.

“Those talks are ongoing,” coach Brandon Staley said today (via ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry). “We’re at the beginning of all that, but all know how we feel about him.”

Herbert will earn a bit more than $4MM during his fourth season in the NFL, but the former sixth-overall pick will surely be eyeing a significant pay raise on his next contract. With Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts also eligible to sign extensions, Aaron Rodgers may not be the league’s only $50MM player for much longer.

Herbert hasn’t matched Burrow’s or Hurt’s playoff success, but he’s put up some impressive regular season numbers to start his career. The Chargers QB has thrown for 14,089 passing yards, the most by a player through their first three NFL seasons. Herbert has also tossed 94 touchdowns vs. 35 interceptions, including a 2022 campaign where he threw 25 touchdowns while guiding the Chargers to the postseason. The 25-year-old had offseason shoulder surgery but is expected to be ready for the start of the 2023 season.

Naturally, the Chargers aren’t committing to any particular deadline to sign Herbert to an extension, but as Thiry notes, the organization has already “expressed optimism about the situation.”

“Navigating this process, we have a very good relationship with his team,” Staley said. “I’m confident that Justin Herbert is going to be our quarterback for a long time and that we’ll make sure that we get a deal done.

“[We’ve got to] just be patient,” Staley added. “But the major takeaway is that Justin Herbert is going to be our quarterback, and we’re so excited that he is leading our franchise.”

As Thiry notes, the Chargers will still have to make a decision on Herbert’s fifth-year option this offseason. The team will obviously pick up that option, with GM Tom Telesco referring to the inevitable move as a “formality” because of the QB’s impending extension.

AFC West Notes: Brown, Chargers, Raiders

February 10th, 2023 at 12:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Orlando Brown Jr. will command either a second franchise tag, another lucrative Chiefs extension offer or a massive free agency accord. The four-time Pro Bowler wants to stay in Kansas City, but it certainly does not sound like any hometown discount will be considered.

“Yeah, absolutely, I want to stay here, but the business is the business,” Brown said, via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams. “Things happen. Whatever happens, man, I’ll be prepared to go.”

This stance is unsurprising, given how the franchise-tagged tackle played his 2022 negotiations. Despite acquiring Brown via trade in 2021, the Chiefs tabled extension talks until last year. Brown changed agents, hiring a representative without a football background, and said Kansas City’s offer was too light on guarantees for him to sign. The Chiefs offered Brown a six-year, $139MM deal that contained the second-most guarantees among tackles, and although a bloated final-year salary existed to increase the AAV to top Trent Williams‘ $23MM mark, Brown passed. This rankled some in the organization. Pro Football Focus viewed the mammoth left tackle as making slight improvements in 2022, slotting him as a top-20 player at the position. Barring a major injury in Super Bowl LVII, Brown will be in strong negotiating position again soon.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

Justin Herbert will be taking some time off ahead of the Chargers‘ offseason program. The star quarterback underwent surgery to address a shoulder labrum injury, according to the team. Herbert underwent the procedure on his nonthrowing shoulder, which became an issue late in the season. The Chargers expect their QB to be ready in time for their offseason program, which will be a bit more important for Herbert and Co. due to the team having changed offensive coordinators.
On the OC topic, the Chargers will entrust Herbert’s fourth season to Kellen Moore. The 33-year-old play-caller made a quick move from Dallas to L.A., being informed he was not returning for a fifth season as the Cowboys’ OC to landing the Bolts job within a day. Prior to the Chargers moving quickly on Moore, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes they were leaning toward hiring Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson (Twitter link). Multiple coordinator-seeking teams believed Robinson, a former Brandon Staley coworker, would land the gig. Robinson has interviewed for the Ravens’ OC position, but as of now, the young assistant is set to return to the Rams.
Kyzir White departed the Chargers after a productive contract year, one that led the linebacker to the Eagles. Set to start in Super Bowl LVII, White is still auditioning for a long-term payday. The Eagles gave the converted safety a one-year, $3MM deal. Despite White tallying a career-high 144 tackles and starting 17 games for the 2021 Chargers, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper notes Staley’s system not placing a high value on off-ball ‘backers led the Bolts to let him walk (subscription required). This could be relevant intel for the Bolts’ Kenneth Murray plan. The team chose Murray in the first round before Staley’s arrival; his fifth-year option will cost $12.72MM.
The Bolts should be expected to consider re-signing right tackle Trey Pipkins, per Popper. Winning the right-side job in training camp after making offseason improvements, Pipkins suffered an MCL sprain and aggravated the injury twice upon returning. The free agent-to-be still started 14 games. Pro Football Focus ranked Pipkins 67th among tackles, though Popper notes the Chargers will likely hold the former third-round pick in higher regard compared to the rest of the league. It will be interesting to see what Pipkins’ market produces, as starter-caliber tackles generally do well in free agency.
Adam Butler secured a pretty nice reserve/futures deal with the Raiders. The veteran defensive tackle’s one-year pact includes $485.8K guaranteed, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets, adding the contract can spike to $2MM. A former Patriots regular, Butler did not play in 2022 after being cut by the Dolphins during training camp.

Chargers GM Expresses Support For Brandon Staley, Decision To Play Starters In Week 18

January 19th, 2023 at 4:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Speculation swirled about Brandon Staley‘s employment status ahead of the Chargers-Jaguars wild-card game and following his team’s 27-point collapse, but the Bolts will keep their head coach for a third season.

Eleventh-year GM Tom Telesco said Staley was never on shaky ground. Rumors connected the Chargers to Sean Payton, who has been connected to this job for a while. The Los Angeles-stationed FOX analyst will need to accept another position or wait until 2024 for the AFC’s Los Angeles gig to potentially open up, however.

“That was probably more [media] discussion than ours,” Telesco said of Staley’s hot-seat status, via ESPN.com’s Lindsey Thiry. “The front office’s belief in Brandon hasn’t changed. He’s got our belief. Our players believe in him. He’s a tremendous leader.”

The Payton matter has lingered for a while, but the Chargers’ past two games accelerated rumblings of a firing. The Chargers’ decision to play their starters in Week 18 ended up being costly, with Mike Williams suffering a transverse process fracture — an injury discovered late last week — that prevented him from making the trip to Jacksonville.

Los Angeles totaled three second-half points in the third-biggest collapse in playoff history, and the team lost wideout DeAndre Carter during the Jaguars matchup. Staley’s decision to play starters against the Broncos in their regular-season finale was believed to be an organizational decision. Many Chargers staffers knew this was the plan, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who indicated everyone was onboard with Staley’s call (video link). Telesco confirmed as much Thursday. “Brandon kind of mapped out what his plan was and yeah, I’m going to support that,” Telesco said.

Staley, 40, is 19-15 with the Chargers, who have continued to battle injuries under his watch. Several big-ticket players missed extended stretches for the team this season, extending a trend that persisted during multiple previous Bolts regimes. Staley’s seat stands to be hot in 2023, as the Chargers have not ranked inside the top 20 on defense — the third-year HC’s side of the ball. But the Chargers gave both Mike McCoy and Anthony Lynn four seasons apiece.

The Chargers have made some changes in the wake of that loss. They fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and quarterbacks coach Shane Day. Staley cited the offense needing to reach a new gear, and Telesco said (via Thiry) Justin Herbert will have input as to who the team hires as its next play-caller. While the team is not planning any contract talks with Herbert until after Super Bowl LVII, at least, it will entrust Herbert with contributing to this big-picture decision. Herbert became extension-eligible this month but can be controlled through the 2024 season, via the fifth-year option the Bolts will exercise in May.

As for the Chargers’ OC plans, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen notes Frank Reich makes sense as a candidate (Twitter link). Reich was with the Chargers for three seasons under McCoy, and he served as their OC from 2014-15. Reich has booked HC interviews with the Cardinals and Panthers; the former Colts HC has ties to each of those teams as well. The Rams have been connected to Reich as a potential OC, making it fairly clear the respected coach will have options in the event he is unable to snag one of the available HC jobs.

One candidate the Bolts wanted to meet with has cut off a potential partnership. Vikings OC Wes Phillips rejected a Bolts interview request, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Phillips, who just finished his first year as Minnesota’s OC, holds a non-play-calling role with the team. While calling Herbert-run plays will be a draw for OC candidates, Fowler notes Phillips will stay with the Vikings.

Lastly, the Chargers fired linebackers coach Michael Wilhoite, Daniel Popper of The Athletic tweets. A former NFL linebacker, Wilhoite had been with the Bolts for two seasons. This marked the 36-year-old staffer’s first gig coaching a position; he worked as a lower-level Saints assistant before heading to L.A.

Panthers QB Notes: Darnold, Mayfield, Rhule, Herbert, Stafford, Tepper, Watson

November 19th, 2022 at 6:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Panthers are starting Baker Mayfield in Week 11, they want to see Sam Darnold in action this season. Steve Wilks said he would like to give Darnold some work, though the interim HC did not indicate that would be certain to happen this week against the Ravens. “I’m interested in winning the game. This is not pay $250 to get to play,” Wilks said, via The Athletic’s Joe Person (on Twitter).

Carolina used one of its injury activations to move Darnold onto its 53-man roster last week, but the former No. 3 overall pick did not see any action against the Falcons. P.J. Walker is out of the picture for the time being, after becoming the third Carolina QB this season to suffer a high ankle sprain. Mayfield will make his first start since sustaining his ankle injury in Week 9. Here is the latest from what has become one of the more complex QB situations in recent NFL history:

After playing hurt last season, Mayfield has not turned it around. On the radar for a potential franchise-QB deal in 2021, Mayfield is on track for free agency for the first time. The market for the former No. 1 overall pick may check in at $5-$7MM on a prove-it deal, David Newton of ESPN.com notes. Mayfield’s 17.7 QBR ranks last in the NFL.
This situation has been in flux since Cam Newton‘s 2019 foot injury. Prior to the team making the Newton-for-Teddy Bridgewater change, GM Marty Hurney and most of the Panthers’ scouts were high on Justin Herbert. But Matt Rhule did not view 2020 as the window to draft a quarterback, with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com indicating in an expansive piece the team saw a jump from No. 7 overall to No. 4 — ahead of the QB-seeking Dolphins and Chargers — as too costly. While then-Giants GM Dave Gettleman was not keen on trading down, going most of his GM career without ever doing so, the Panthers not making a push for Herbert has led to QB chaos.
After the Panthers determined Bridgewater — a preference of former OC Joe Brady — would be a one-and-done in Charlotte, they made a big offer for Matthew Stafford. Negotiations between new Panthers GM Scott Fitterer and Lions rookie GM Brad Holmes at the 2021 Senior Bowl led to Panthers brass leaving Mobile believing they were set to acquire Stafford, Fowler notes. It is interesting to learn how far the GMs progressed in talks, because Stafford made it known soon after he did not want to play for the Panthers. The Rams then came in late with their two-first-rounder offer, forcing the Panthers and others to look elsewhere.
Rhule then pushed hard for Darnold, Fowler adds, after Panthers staffers went through film sessions evaluating he, Carson Wentz and Drew Lock. The Panthers sent the Jets second-, fourth- and sixth-round picks for the former No. 3 overall pick and picked up his guaranteed $18.9MM fifth-year option. Owner David Tepper begrudgingly picked up the option but became irked by the 2023 cost hanging over the franchise, per Fowler. Tepper is believed to have held up this year’s Mayfield trade talks in order to move the Browns to pick up more money on his option salary. The delay was connected to the Panthers already having Darnold’s fifth-year option to pay.
Tepper’s main prize during this multiyear QB odyssey, Deshaun Watson, was leery of the Panthers’ staff uncertainty, Fowler adds. All things being equal between the four finalists — Atlanta, Carolina, Cleveland, New Orleans — the Panthers were not believed to be Watson’s first choice. The Falcons were viewed as the team that would have landed Watson if the Browns did not make that unprecedented $230MM guarantee offer.
Fitterer offered support for a Mitch Trubisky signing this offseason, according to Fowler, who adds the team never engaged in extended talks with Jimmy Garoppolo‘s camp. While Garoppolo said the Panthers were in the mix, the team was believed to be leery of his injury history. Trubisky is in Year 1 of a two-year, $14.3MM deal. While Trubisky may well be available again in 2023, the Panthers — having added six draft picks from the Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson trades — will be connected to this year’s crop of QB prospects.

Matt Rhule Latest: QBs, Giants, Brady

October 14th, 2022 at 11:32am CST by Sam Robinson

Despite authorizing a seven-year contract to lure Matt Rhule from Baylor, Panthers owner David Tepper cut the cord this week. Tepper did so less than three years after he outmuscled the Giants for Rhule, who was believed to have preferred the Giants job to the one he ended up taking. After the Giants sent a private plane for Rhule’s January 2020 interview, Tepper upped his offer from six years to seven, according to Joe Person of The Athletic (subscription required). The seven-year, $62MM contract ensured Rhule never boarded that plane.

Although Rhule reached out to the Giants to see if they would match, John Mara viewed such a contract as exorbitant for a coach without much NFL experience. Still, the Giants preferred Rhule to Joe Judge that year. The Panthers, who paid Baylor a $6MM buyout fee in 2020, will not be forced to pay out Rhule’s guaranteed $40MM-plus remaining. Carolina is on the hook for Rhule’s 2022 salary, but the remaining cash will be offset by the coach’s next college gig — whenever that comes to pass. Here is the latest from the Rhule dismissal:

The Panthers made a quarterback splash in 2020, giving Teddy Bridgewater a three-year deal worth $63MM. Then-OC Joe Brady lobbied for Bridgewater, whom the young coach worked with during his time with the Saints, Person adds. Bridgewater was by far the best QB option during the Rhule period, with the Sam Darnold, Cam Newton 2.0 and Baker Mayfield (so far) stays producing bottom-end work.
Another option for Carolina would have been Justin Herbert, but Person notes the team did not want to give up the draft capital necessary to trade up for the Oregon prospect. The Panthers held the No. 7 overall pick in 2020; Herbert went sixth to the Chargers. Carolina, however, may have needed to trade up to No. 3 (Detroit) to secure Herbert or Tua Tagovailoa real estate. The Dolphins and Bolts likely were not open to moving down, and at that point, Dave Gettleman had never traded down during his time as the Giants or Panthers’ GM. The Panthers liked Herbert as a prospect, but they ended up taking Derrick Brown at 7. That certainly qualifies as a notable “what if?” for the organization.
After the Panthers passed on Justin Fields and Mac Jones in 2021, they were linked to ex-Rhule Temple recruit Kenny Pickett at No. 6 this year. But Carolina did not view Pickett as worthy of such a high pick, Person adds. GM Scott Fitterer openly said before the draft the team would have the tackle prospects rated above all the QB talents in this year’s draft. Other teams tended to agree, with the Steelers nabbing Pickett at No. 20 — without trading up — and no other QBs coming off the board until Round 3.
Rhule’s decision to fire Brady after going on vacation during Carolina’s 2021 bye week did not sit well with some players, per Person. Rhule encouraged players to get away that week and kept his travel plans, but Brady and QBs coach Sean Ryan stayed in town to work with the recently re-signed Newton as he learned the Panthers’ new offense. Brady’s firing leaked on the Sunday during Carolina’s bye week, when Rhule returned to Charlotte. Brady is now the Bills’ quarterbacks coach.
Jimmy Garoppolo said the Panthers were one of the teams that showed interest in trading for him. “Things were advancing with a couple different teams,” Garoppolo said, via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch. “They were at the top of the list, I would say. One of the top couple, but I’m glad the way things worked out and I’m here.” The Panthers were among the teams skittish about Garoppolo’s salary, leading to his 49ers restructure, and his injury history was an issue with some Carolina staffers. Carolina acquired Mayfield in early July, but, adding to this franchise’s recent quarterback complications, Tepper’s desire to not overpay led to a delay that went against Rhule and Fitterer’s wishes.

Chargers To Start Jamaree Salyer At LT

October 2nd, 2022 at 11:49am CST by Rory Parks

The Chargers have placed starting LT Rashawn Slater on injured reserve, and they will be turning to a rookie to fill the void. As Daniel Popper of The Athletic reported earlier this week, the Bolts will deploy 2022 sixth-rounder Jamaree Salyer on QB Justin Herbert‘s blind side for the team’s Week 4 matchup with the Texans (Twitter link).

It would have been fair to expect veteran Storm Norton, who started 15 games at right tackle for the Chargers in 2021 and who filled in at left tackle in Week 3 when Slater went down with a torn biceps tendon, to get the nod, at least for the next couple of games. That is especially true given that Salyer, who is listed at 6-3, has less than ideal height for an NFL tackle. Given his size, Salyer was originally drafted as a guard, though he does have long arms and acquitted himself well as a tackle against Aidan Hutchinson — this year’s No. 2 overall pick — in the College Football Playoff semifinals last year.

Salyer also has a higher ceiling than Norton, a 2017 UDFA who lost this summer’s training camp battle for the starting RT job to Trey Pipkins III. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, the expectation is that Salyer will be a capable replacement for Slater. In the first three weeks of his pro career, Salyer has seen the field for 11 special teams snaps, so Sunday’s game will represent a trial by fire.

Herbert, of course, needs all the protection he can get. The passer is dealing with fractured rib cartilage, and while he came off the injury report on Friday, head coach Brandon Staley has confirmed that the injury will linger and will impact Herbert for some time. Luckily, starting center Corey Linsley — who exited the team’s Week 2 loss to the Chiefs due to a knee injury and who was inactive for the Week 3 loss to the Jaguars — is active for Sunday’s Houston contest.

RapSheet also passes along some good news with respect to Slater. Despite reports that the second-year pro would miss the remainder of the season, he may be able to return near the end of the campaign. If the Chargers are in the playoff hunt, Slater could suit up for one of the final two games of the season, or at least for the first game of the postseason if Los Angeles should qualify.

Cornerback J.C. Jackson, like Herbert, also came off the injury report on Friday.

Latest On Chargers QB Justin Herbert

September 25th, 2022 at 1:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

SEPTEMBER 25, 1:57pm: Rapoport tweets that Herbert will play today, not long after the team confirmed that he will be active. His mobility and pain tolerance will be worth closely monitoring, though, of course. The club announced that receiver Keenan Allen and cornerback J.C. Jackson will not play against the Jaguars, however.

SEPTEMBER 25, 10:47am: Herbert received a pain injection on Thursday, with mixed results. If he gets another injection on Sunday in an effort to suit up for the Jaguars contest, it will be done with an ultrasound imaging monitor to guide the administering doctor (though one assumes an ultrasound was utilized for the Thursday injection as well, especially in light of the Taylor situation).

However, the Chargers’ medical team has encouraged Herbert to take a long-term view of the situation, thus implying that sitting out at least the Week 3 game may be his best bet. After all, this injury can linger for weeks or months, and a rib protector does not assist with rotation when Herbert has to twist or throw.

Herbert must sign a form advising him of the risks if he chooses to get an injection. Presumably, he needed to sign a similar form for the Thursday injection.

SEPTEMBER 23: Justin Herbert‘s most recent in-game visuals would make it unsurprising if he missed time, but the star quarterback managed limited practices all week. He will go into Sunday’s Jaguars-Chargers game with the vague questionable designation.

While Herbert said he feels good, Chase Daniel took some first-team reps at Chargers practice Friday, via ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter links). Herbert also stopped short of guaranteeing he will play Sunday. Daniel re-signed on another one-year deal to return as Herbert’s backup; the veteran QB2 has not yet started a game as a Charger.

“I don’t know,” Herbert said on a decision to play. “Whatever the plan is, I know our team is going to be prepared and do everything we can. That decision will be made on Sunday. Haven’t ruled anything out.”

Herbert suffered a rib cartilage fracture late in the Bolts’ Week 2 loss to the Chiefs. Herbert’s rib issue comes days after his Chargers QB1 predecessor, Tyrod Taylor, filed a lawsuit against the team’s doctor after a pregame injection resulted in a punctured lung. That development sidelined Taylor, who was dealing with a rib injury in September 2020, and allowed Herbert to take over earlier than the team planned to make that transition.

Brandon Staley said this week the Chargers will be careful with their starter, indicating all parties — following Taylor’s lawsuit — are on the same page here.

“I think we have full alignment with Justin and his family, his agents, and then the medical professionals, and that’s what we’re going to try to do is have alignment that way and just kind of trust the process and hopefully get him well soon,” Staley said.

Daniel, 36 in October, is 2-3 in his career as a starter. The 14th-year veteran has not started a game since an October 2019 contest against the Raiders in London, but he has worked with Joe Lombardi with two teams, being with the current Bolts OC in New Orleans and Los Angeles. It is unknown if, in order to play, Herbert will need to have a pain-killing injection before the Chargers’ game against the Jags or if that will need to be part of his routine going forward. More clarity will come as this intraconference game approaches. Herbert has never missed an NFL game due to injury.

AFC West Notes: Chargers, Hackett, Chiefs

September 22nd, 2022 at 10:44am CST by Sam Robinson

After Justin Herbert finished the 2021 season in the unusual position of being the AFC’s Pro Bowl starter but out of the playoffs, Brandon Staley voiced concerns about the Chargers‘ roster to ownership. Staley conveyed to both ownership and the Bolts’ front office that defensive and special teams upgrades were necessary this offseason. More specifically, Staley wanted veteran pieces, ESPN.com’s Lindsey Thiry notes, adding that the second-year HC sought a defense capable of complementing a ready-now offense.

“[I] felt really strongly that in order to build a complete football team that was ready to face what we’re going to have to face,” Staley said, “that we needed to make significant changes in those two phases of the game.”

DVOA placed the 2021 Chargers fourth in offense and 26th defensively, despite the fast-rising Staley becoming the team’s head coach based on his defensive credentials. Facing a time crunch created by Herbert’s extension eligibility, the Chargers added big-ticket defensive pieces in Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson. Auxiliary troops like Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Kyle Van Noy and Bryce Callahan signed as well. The Chargers also extended Derwin James, on a safety-record deal, this summer. The team, which ranked 28th in special teams DVOA last season, replaced its punter and long snapper as well. JK Scott and ex-Falcon Josh Harris are in those roles this year.

These additions raise the stakes for Staley, who will have fewer excuses given his 2022 personnel. Here is the latest from the AFC West, shifting first to a coach off to an unusual start:

It is uncertain if the Broncos will change Nathaniel Hackett‘s game-day roles, but after the rookie HC’s game-management struggles through two weeks, he said (via 9News’ Mike Klis, on Twitter) GM George Paton and assistant GM Darren Mougey have assisted him in these areas this week. Although the puzzling 64-yard field goal decision in Seattle and the Denver crowd counting down the play clock in Week 2 (after the team’s fourth delay-of-game penalty of the season) are the main takeaways from Hackett’s start, the Broncos are 0-for-6 in red zone touchdowns and have committed 25 penalties — including six false starts — through two games. The 25 infractions are a Broncos two-game record. Hackett said (via Klis, on Twitter) the team will have “good answers moving forward” in these areas.
Willie Gay‘s four-game suspension will take a starting linebacker off the field for the Chiefs. While the team used a third-round pick on Leo Chenal this year, Andy Reid said (via ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher, on Twitter) Darius Harris will be first in line to fill in for Gay. The Middle Tennessee State alum has been with the Chiefs since 2019, being part of the team’s UDFA class. Spending much of his career on Kansas City’s practice squad, Harris has played 13 games — including two starts, both in 2020 — with the team.
While Staley stressed the team will not rush Herbert back, the third-year Chargers quarterback practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday. Herbert’s rib cartilage fracture comes as the doctor leading his rehab effort — David S. Gazzaniga — is being sued by former Bolts QB Tyrod Taylor regarding a 2020 incident. “I think we have full alignment with Justin and his family, his agents, and then the medical professionals, and that’s what we’re going to try to do is have alignment that way and just kind of trust the process and hopefully get him well soon,” Staley said, via Thiry.

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