The Los Angeles Chargers are beginning a new era in their franchise after selecting Justin Herbert with the No. 6 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Shane Steichen, the Chargers' offensive coordinator, commented to the Los Angeles Times on his plan for Herbert moving forward.
“You can retain it and you can talk about it in a classroom setting, but, I think the thing that separates the good from the great is how they can process it on the field … We know mentally he can do it. Is he going to process it quickly on the field when he gets here? But we’re excited about what he brings.”
Earlier this offseason, the Chargers decided to move on from Philip Rivers after he spent 16 seasons with the organization. Given that, Herbert is going to have a chance to be the heir apparent to Rivers in Los Angeles.
But before he gets a chance to do that, it seems as if he'll have to earn the starting job. Besides Herbert, the Chargers have also expressed confidence in veteran Tyrod Taylor. If there's a training camp this offseason, it's likely that Taylor and Herbert compete for the starting gig.
Of course, Herbert was taken in the first round to be the long-term solution at quarterback. However, if he isn't ready to start, it wouldn't come as a surprise if Taylor is starting in Week 1.
Throughout the pre-draft process, the Chargers — and other teams — were thoroughly impressed with Herbert's mental abilities off of the field. After taking him with the No. 6 pick, Steichen is hoping that Herbert is able to translate his mental abilities onto the field.
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