Tag: Chargers Quarterback

2023 NFL draft: Chargers pick QB Max Duggan with No. 239 overall selection

The Chargers added another to their quarterback room.

The Chargers have taken former TCU quarterback Max Duggan with the No. 239 overall selection in the 2023 NFL draft.

Los Angeles re-signed Easton Stick to serve as the primary backup to Justin Herbert. However, the team has carried three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster in recent seasons. Therefore, so Duggan was intriguing enough to bring in to compete for a spot.

The runner-up for this year’s Heisman Trophy, Duggan helped lead the Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff with an impressive 2022 campaign. He passed for 3,698 yards and 32 touchdowns in his senior season. In addition, Duggan was a Senior Bowl participant.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert on playing vs. Jaguars: ‘Decision will be made on Sunday’

We now wait to see who will be under center for the Chargers against the Jaguars.

The Chargers are taking on the Jaguars on Sunday, and the biggest question remains who will be under center.

Justin Herbert, who has a rib cartilage fracture that he sustained in the Week 2 loss to the Chiefs, did not practice Friday and is listed as questionable.

This comes after he returned to practice earlier this week where he had two limited sessions.

With the decision looming, Herbert said it “will be made on Sunday,” adding that the plan is to go through a workout before the game.

“I’m certainly going to do everything I can to prepare and be ready to play on Sunday,” Herbert said.

If Herbert can’t play, Chase Daniel will get the start. Daniel took first-team reps during Friday’s practice.

Daniel, the 13-year veteran, has played 71 games with five starts, throwing for 1,694 yards and eight touchdowns.

If Daniel is under center, the offensive game plan would be altered quite a bit.

With an arm nowhere near the talent of Herbert, Daniel would likely be relegated to short and quick passes. The running game would also be relied on more than usual.

Ultimately, the defense could be the deciding factor in this game, as it is difficult to see the offense having a lot of spark if Daniel is given the start.

Chargers sound comfortable keeping 3 quarterbacks on 53-man roster

Don’t be surprised if Justin Herbert, Chase Daniel and Easton Stick all make the Chargers 53-man roster.

From the beginning of Chargers training camp, the battle for the backup quarterback spot did not seem like it would become so much of a storyline, but here we are.

Chase Daniel was seen to me as the bonafide backup to Justin Herbert because of his experience in this league and the knowledge with Joe Lombardi’s offense.

However, Easton Stick came into the preseason with the mentality that he was not to be forgotten. Not only did Stick flash with his athleticism, but he looked improved as a passer.

Stick’s outings have raised many to believe that the team could indeed carry three quarterbacks as opposed to two, and those making the decision believe it’s a strong possibility.

“Yeah, I think so,” Brandon Staley said. “I think that could happen. I think we’re going to see over the next couple of days. But I definitely think that that’s a possibility, and we’ll dive into those specifics here in the next couple days. But I think both of those guys are assets for our football team.”

On the TV broadcast Saturday against the Seahawks, Tom Telesco that he would prefer to keep all three quarterbacks.

The decision to keep three quarterbacks when depth at other positions would be much more beneficial to the Chargers is puzzling to a handful, but it would make sense.

Given the uncertainty of COVID-19, keeping only two quarterbacks is a risky move, especially if there was a major outbreak.

Los Angeles could practice squad one of them, but the likelihood of either of them clearing waivers is slim. A team would love to bring in a veteran like Daniel, while another would instantly fall in love with Stick’s traits.

Should this come to fruition at 1 pm PT on Tuesday, Sept. 31, Daniel would likely be the main backup and dress on game days.

Adding veteran quarterback on Chargers’ offseason to-do list

The Los Angeles Chargers could be looking to free agency to find a bargain backup to Justin Herbert.

The Chargers have their long-term answer at the quarterback position with Justin Herbert. But one thing the team must figure out this offseason is who is going to back him up next season.

After two seasons, Tyrod Taylor is a pending free agent. At the moment, Easton Stick, the third-string quarterback from the past two years, is the only other signal-caller on the depth chart.

General manager Tom Telesco has expressed wanting to keep Taylor. However, as he is midst of his professional career, he may only want to be in a position knowing that he can compete for a starting job.

Therefore, the money might be a bit more than what they’re likely wanting to spend at the position.

Meanwhile, Telesco has said that Stick could be their No. 2 option. But despite having very little playing time since being drafted in 2019, the team’s confidence in him with that role likely isn’t as high.

Should L.A. look to find a bargain backup to Herbert, the free agency pool offers a few options. The crop includes Joe Flacco, Robert Griffin III, Colt McCoy, C.J. Beathard, Matt Barkley, among others.

All of these signal-callers mentioned likely don’t have the desire to join the team and expect to potentially start. But they offer the ability to supply mentorship to Herbert and have the experience to start if needed.

Justin Herbert named Chargers starting quarterback

Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn named Justin Herbert the team’s starting quarterback going forward. Here is a film dive at his work to date

Los Angeles Chargers rookie quarterback Justin Herbert has been impressive since being pressed into action on a sudden basis back in Week 2. When Tyrod Taylor was injured as a result of a pain injeection to his chest administered by team doctors prior to kickoff, the rookie stepped in against the defending Super Bowl Champions. Since then, he has been impressive in starts against the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While head coach Anthony Lynn was reluctant to name Herbert the starter going forward in previous weeks, he changed his tune on Thursday:

As noted, Herbert has been solid so far, particularly in games against the Buccaneers this past week, and his first game against the Chiefs. Here are some video breakdowns of what he has done so far.

First, his debut:

Then, his second start against the Panthers:

And finally, last week against Tampa Bay, in a game that turned many heads:

 

Poll: Should Chargers start Justin Herbert or Tyrod Taylor?

Who should be the Los Angeles Chargers’ starting quarterback moving forward?

There is a quarterback controversy in Los Angeles, and it’s only been three weeks into the season.

After Tyrod Taylor was unable to start last Sunday due to an internal chest injury, rookie Justin Herbert delivered an eyebrow-raising performance against the defending Super Bowl champions.

Following the game, coach Anthony Lynn said that Taylor would remain the team’s starter if he is healthy. The following day, Lynn said, “There’s a lot we didn’t get done with Justin on the field yesterday. He’s a backup for a reason,” which stirred up a major debate.

Herbert made the point that he is ready to play at this level, despite making a couple of rookie mistakes. But there is one thing that Lynn emphasized before the season, and that’s winning the turnover battle. Even if Taylor has limitations as a passer, he is not known for throwing interceptions.

Herbert threw one against the Chiefs, which could be the reason why Lynn is hesitant to move forward with him as the starting quarterback. However, the positives of his performance outweighed the negatives.

L.A. has yet to announce who will be starting against the Panthers, but I believe the Chargers need to continue to start Herbert.

Let us know what you think. Who should roll into Week 3 as the starter and beyond.

Vote in the poll below.

Projecting the Chargers’ quarterback depth chart

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez assesses the quarterback position heading into the 2020 season.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been breaking down the depth chart at each position for the Chargers.

Running back

Wide receiver

Tight end

Offensive line

Defensive line

Linebacker

Cornerback

Safety

To finish off this series, we project what the the Chargers’ quarterback room will look like heading into the 2020 season.

QB1: Tyrod Taylor

Taylor is considered to be in the driver’s seat to start, but knowing that there wasn’t any spring practices and potentially a shortened preseason, the chances of him going into Week 1 as the starter is almost certain. Taylor spent two years with coach Anthony Lynn in Buffalo, and has had a full year with the Chargers’ coaching staff and players after signing a two-year contract last March. Taylor is by no means the passer that Philip Rivers was during his time with the Bolts, but the 30-year old offers upside with his athleticism to win with his legs and ability to take care of the football. Taylor is also in a good position with the skill players that he will have to distribute the wealth to, consisting of wide receivers Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, running back Austin Ekeler and tight end Hunter Henry. To the amount of games started remains to be seen, but if Taylor is winning games then it shouldn’t be a surprise to see him start the full 16-game slate.

QB2: Justin Herbert

Anticipation to see the No. 6 overall selection take the field for the Chargers as at an all-time high. But if he redshirts the entire 2020 season, it might be a blessing in disguise. There’s no denying Herbert’s NFL-style tools with his size, athleticism, arm talent and intelligence. But he needs to improve his decision-making, eye discipline and overall consistency to succeed. That is why everyone is hopeful that the hiring of quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton will help with the development of the former Oregon product. Herbert playing this season is still a possibility, though. If Taylor isn’t getting the job done at any given point of the season, then the rookie will likely take over.

QB3: Easton Stick

As the Chargers have undergone this transition at the quarterback position, the one player that hasn’t gotten the attention is Stick. The former North Dakota State product beat out Cardale Jones for the final quarterback spot last preseason. General manager Tom Telesco said the team has high hopes for Stick, but he is still a young quarterback with a ways to go. Los Angeles could see Stick as a long-term backup, especially considering this is the final year on Taylor’s contract. Or their intentions could be to develop Stick enough to the point where he does have upside as a starter or even as a Taysom Hill role given his athleticism, which could garner trade consideration from another team.

Poll: How many games will Chargers QB Tyrod Taylor start in 2020?

Do you feel confident in Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor?

A new era at the quarterback position begins this upcoming season as Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert take over.

One of the biggest questions entering training camp is who will start under center.

While the coaching staff has stated that there will be a competition between Taylor and the first-round pick this summer, it’s more than likely that the 30-year old will start, allowing Herbert to get acclimated to the offense and his teammates.

“We’re going into this thing: Day 1, Tyrod Taylor’s going to be starting it off,” coach Anthony Lynn told Albert Breer of the MMQB. “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.

With the offense in Taylor’s hands, the anticipation to see what he could do is at an all-time high. While there are concerns of him as a passer, Taylor is familiar with the system, protects the ball well, has the mobility to outpace defenders and most importantly, a strong supporting cast of skill players.

Taylor is capable of leading the Chargers to wins this upcoming season. His success will allow Herbert to continue to develop. The only way we see the former Oregon product take over is if Taylor flops or gets hurt.

With that being said, do you think Taylor has what it takes to flourish this season? To get an idea, we want to know how many games you think he will remain as the team’s starter in 2020.

Vote in the poll below:

[polldaddy poll=10564577]

Chargers QB coach Pep Hamilton assesses Tyrod Taylor, Justin Herbert

Pep Hamilton is excited to work with both signal-callers this upcoming season.

The Chargers are hopeful that Justin Herbert to lead the team to success for years to come. While he has plenty of talent and experience under his belt, there are certain areas of his game that need refinement.

To mentor the former Oregon product is Pep Hamilton, who was hired to become Los Angeles’ quarterback coach earlier this month.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the two have been unable to do on-field work. Instead, everything has been viral. But Herbert and Hamilton have still been able to develop a connection in the early stages via Zoom.

“We often find ourselves watching ball and talking ball into the wee hours,” Hamilton said Wednesday during a video conference. “I’m excited to see that he’s a student of the game.”

Hamilton is intrigued by Herbert’s skillset. He knows that he may not be ready to take the field Week 1 of the regular season, but he believes once he gets there, Herbert should be in a good position to shine.

“The combination of size, athletic ability and arm talent (is intriguing), but more importantly, he’s had a ton of experience playing in games,” Hamilton said.

“It really helped him staying an extra year at Oregon. He has over 1,200 pass attempts in college and you can’t teach experience. When it’s time for him to play once he’s acclimated to the speed of the NFL game and has a good understanding of what NFL defenses are trying to do, I think the sky’s the limit.”

While Herbert becomes a student of the game for the time being, Tyrod Taylor will be the one under center. Taylor has plenty of experience in the starting role, and especially in Anthony Lynn’s system since the two played together years back with the Bills.

“It’s helpful, especially under the circumstances,” Hamilton said of Taylor. “In a non-traditional offseason, familiarity with all the above is going to be important. We’re going to lose a large portion of time that we would have on the grass because we’re not able to have a traditional offseason.

It’s going to be very important that Tyrod’s understanding and familiarity with coach Lynn and our system, that carries over to the rest of the guys in the huddle. His poise impresses me. I’ve been watching him from afar for quite some time, and I’ve always been impressed with his ability to go out and make plays and more importantly, help his team win games.”

It’s Taylor’s job to lose. The 30-year old will likely stay under center as long as he’s leading the team to wins. If the Chargers start to fall off the wagon, then Herbert will take the reins. The longer Taylor starts, the more Herbert will be able to develop.

TE Hunter Henry talks about Chargers quarterback competition

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry will be ecstatic no matter who is under center in 2020.

Chargers tight end Hunter Henry came into the league in 2016 with Philip Rivers throwing the ball to him. Four years later, he will have a couple of new faces distributing the wealth to him.

Henry has already started to develop a connection with rookie quarterback Justin Herbert, as the two have spent some time working out and will soon start throwing together.

“He’s got a great arm. Obviously, he went first round, sixth pick for a reason,” Henry said about Herbert in an interview via SiriusXM. “He’s very, very talented. Obviously, the mental side of the game will be the biggest thing.”

Los Angeles is hopeful that Herbert will be the long-term solution at the quarterback position. However, there’s no guarantee that he will walk in as the Week 1 starter.

Tyrod Taylor, who’s in the final year of his two-year deal, is in the driver’s seat to start. If Taylor is the one under center, Henry still has a lot of confidence that he can get the job done.

“Big believer in Tyrod, too, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he’s going to bring to us this year,” Henry said.

Regardless of who’s the starting quarterback, Henry is eager to continue to be a threat in the passing game and reliable as a run-blocker. But most importantly, show that he can stay healthy for a full 16-game slate.

If all goes well, Henry should be sure to strike a long-term deal with the Bolts, if he doesn’t happen to do so already before the July 15 deadline.