The Chargers selected quarterback Justin Herbert with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Even though Los Angeles used their first pick on the signal-caller, that doesn’t mean he’s going to start from the get go.
Coach Anthony Lynn recently spoke to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, outlining what to expect from the positional group.
“We’re going into this thing: Day 1, Tyrod Taylor’s going to be starting it off,” Lynn said. “He’s earned that right. His teammates respect the hell out of him, he’s a leader on this football team.
Our young quarterback’s gonna learn a lot from Tyrod Taylor. Tyrod Taylor’s one of the most respected players on our team, and he doesn’t say a whole lot either.”
Prior to the draft, Lynn said that Taylor was in the driver’s seat to start Week 1 of the upcoming season. But despite Lynn’s comments, Herbert will still have the chance to win the starting job.
“[But] it’s a competition, bro,” Lynn said. There’s a competition at every position, not just this one. I can’t just say Tyrod’s gonna be the starting quarterback for the whole year if this young man goes in there and wins the job.”
It shouldn’t be surprising to see Taylor start right off the bat. Even though Herbert is talented, there are still things that need to be worked on, including improving his field vision and progressions, along with getting used to taking more snaps under center since he never did in college.
Should we expect Taylor to play the whole season? Not necessarily. If the 30-year old experiences some ups and downs with his play during the season, I expect the coaching staff to make the change at the position.
The only way that Herbert will get better is getting live reps and adapt to the speed of the NFL like any rookie quarterback, even if he experiences some bumps along the way.
However, if Taylor flourishes and carries the Chargers into the playoffs, we should expect to see Herbert completely take the reins in the 2021 season.