It’s going to be an all “new” season for the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chargers are set to make their move at the $5B SoFi Stadium for the franchise’s 51st campaign in the NFL. Just recently, the team also launched its new line of jerseys to positive reviews.
But perhaps the biggest change will be under center because, for the first time since 2005, someone not named Philip Rivers will be manning the Chargers' offense. That responsibility now lies in the shoulders of Justin Herbert, the sixth overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Herbert will be inheriting a talented receiving core led by Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. In 2019, the Chargers were ranked sixth in receiving yards per game (290.5), though they had their fair share of issues in finding the end zone — successfully doing so just 24 times, which is 17th-best in the league.
This is where the Chargers hope Hebert’s ability to throw the ball deep can become a deciding factor in the field.
“[Justin Herbert has] fantastic arm strength,” Jordan Reid of The Draft Network said in his scouting report of the Oregon Ducks product.
“Herbert is not gun shy with testing vertical throws down the seams, hashes, or over the middle of the field. He has the wherewithal to test throws in tightly contested areas.”
However, the Chargers' offense will have to work together in the first few years of the Herbert project as the rookie works on his quarterback skills, particularly decision-making.
“Herbert becomes fixated and locks into his first few reads, not knowing when to progress through to the next. Telegraphing throws has been a constant bad habit,” added Reid.
As the leader of the offense, the incoming rookie will likewise have to work on getting the message across his teammates. His personality and approach might also become an issue since he can't be humble and laid back every time. After all, a winning QB must not only be decisive but must also have a commanding presence on the field.
As Reid noted in his report, Herbert's “demeanor will raise plenty of questions.”
The Chargers will have to be really patient with their quarterback who has shown steady improvement during his stint with the Ducks. For what it's worth, as Herbert's improved his stats and productivity year by year, Oregon also saw their record take an incredible rise.
Consider us intrigued about how the Chargers’ new man under center is going to be able to compete in the NFL level.
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