The Los Angeles Chargers will have to make up a lot of ground while waiting for star quarterback Justin Herbert to return from a foot injury. Following Wednesday's training camp practice, Herbert received a plantar fascia diagnosis on his right foot, sidelining him for about two weeks.
The team will put him in a walking boot for his recovery, though they expect him to be ready to play on Week 1 of the NFL season. They will open the new season at home against the Las Vegas Raiders. Meanwhile, Chargers OC Greg Roman has a plan for Herbert's teammates to pick up the slack during his absence.
Greg Roman's demand for the Chargers
During a press conference, Roman told reporters what he wants his team to do while Herbert sits on the sideline.
“We just work through it, try to come up with the best plan we can,” Roman said. “While their star QB is out, he added more responsibilities to the offense. I think the rest of the offense has to be on point, and then Justin's got to figure out some of the chemistry things while we get caught up. But no, I don't see it as a problem, I really don't.”
Finally, the Chargers OC conceded that injuries are simply a fact of life in the pro leagues.
“These guys are instinctive guys, and it'll be great to get them all together, obviously, but that's life in the NFL,” he said.
New beginnings in LA
While optimism is always good, the Chargers have a long way to go, especially with Herbert out during training camp. Last season, the team finished with a dismal 5-12 record. To help put them back on the right track, the organization added plenty of new faces to the roster and hired new head coach Jim Harbaugh. Still, they need time to learn a new offensive system and find chemistry among themselves so they can start the new season on a bright spot.
Previously, the Chargers' star QB had not missed a game due to injury, and he had started 62 games for the Chargers. However, a finger injury ended Justin Herbert's season last December, forcing him to sit out the team's last four games of 2023. They lost all four.
Roman's demands should inspire the backup quarterbacks on the roster, Casey Bauman, Max Duggan, and Easton Stick. Stick had replaced Herbert after he went down last season, starting the Chargers' final four games of 2023. During those losses, he threw for 1,129 yards, three touchdowns, and one pick. However, he also lost four of his five fumbles.
Follow Us
Subscribe