https://chargerswire.usatoday.com/lists/chargers-offseason-preview-quarterback-justin-herbert/

Alex Insdorf
February 13, 2024 12:00 pm PT

After receiving a contract that briefly made him the highest-paid
quarterback of all time, Justin Herbert was largely the same player on
tape in 2023 that we’ve become accustomed to seeing in most of his other
seasons. Unfortunately, what surrounded Herbert on offense was not as
strong. Several high-profile, season-ending injuries collapsed the
Chargers season around him in addition to the adverse coaching situation.

20 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and 3000+ yards in 13 games wasn’t
going to win him awards, but it also became clear that the state of the
offense, in addition to his own personal injuries affected what the
potential production could’ve been.

Herbert played through fractures of his non-throwing hand throughout the
season. Eventually, he’d be shut down after he injured his index finger
on his throwing hand against the Broncos in Week 14. While he could’ve
potentially played through it under some circumstances as opposed to
opting for the surgery outright, the Chargers rapidly falling out of the
playoff picture made the decision to sit him easy.

To kick off our offseason position preview series, we’re evaluating the
quarterback group entering the offseason.

Under contract

QB Justin Herbert ($19.3M cap hit)
QB Max Duggan ($795K cap hit)

Herbert enters his fifth-year option on his rookie contract. His cap hit
will rise to nearly $40 million next season, but for now, the Chargers
still get him at a relatively discounted rate of $19.3 million. He’s the
only lock from the Chargers’ 2023 quarterback room to remain on the roster.

Max Duggan received a futures contract with the Chargers after initially
being selected in the seventh round of last year’s draft. Duggan got
waived from the roster in the initial creation of the 53-man roster and
was used as the emergency third quarterback for most of the year.

However, Duggan wasn’t promoted to QB2 when Herbert was injured. Interim
GM JoJo Wooden and the Chargers’ front office opted to sign Will Grier
as Stick’s backup instead. The former TCU product would probably never
contribute in year one as more of a developmental dart throw. But the
direction of the rest of his Chargers’ tenure remains uncertain after
the front office that drafted him was cleaned out.

Pending free agents

QB Easton Stick
QB Will Grier

Easton Stick got his bump from QB3 to QB2 last year as the Chargers
moved on from veteran journeyman Chase Daniel. He probably didn’t expect
to play quite as much as he did with the unfortunate circumstances of
how the season panned out.

Stick made four starts following Herbert being shut down for the
remainder of the season. With a skeleton squad offense around him, he
did well enough considering the task. He had four scrimmage touchdowns,
one interception, and 1132 yards.

It’ll be interesting to see what the Chargers do with Stick. Does the
new front office go in a new direction? How much does his experience in
a quarterback room with Herbert matter? Judging by the re-hiring of
quarterbacks coach Shane Day, LA will want an environment in the
quarterback room that makes Herbert the most comfortable.

Grier was signed to be the Chargers’ primary backup quarterback after
Herbert went down. The move seemed primarily based on his experience
with Kellen Moore and Doug Nussmeier in Dallas at the time. With both of
those key reasons for his signing in Philadelphia, I’d say it casts
doubt on a potential return to LA for Grier in 2024.

2024 Outlook

With a new front office, uncertainty looms at most positional groups in
2024. At quarterback, that isn’t as much of an issue. Herbert is the
franchise.

Considering how the 2023 season ended, the backup competition or
signings for the signal callers behind Herbert will matter. The Chargers
don’t need to invest in a high-market backup, considering their
financial circumstances, but they certainly need to find someone they
trust to make a start when the games matter potentially.

Perhaps that will be Stick or Duggan. But with a new coaching staff and
front office, we’ll learn who the Chargers trust the most in creating a
QB room that works best in supplementing Herbert.