Chargers Officially Release Quarterback Amid Preseason Struggles

Valentina Martinez | Aug 19, 2024

May 29, 2024; Costa Mesa, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady, quarterbacks coach Shane Day and quarterbacks Justin Herbert (10), Casey Bauman (16) and Max Duggan (8) during organized team activities at Hoag Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Chargers released quarterback Max Duggan on Monday morning. Duggan was the team's third-string quarterback and did not compete in Saturday's preseason matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.

The #Chargers are releasing QB Max Duggan, per source.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 19, 2024

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters postgame that it was a "coaching decision" not to play the third-stringer.

Duggan was one of the quarterbacks fighting for a spot on the roster alongside Easton Stick and Luis Perez.

Duggan has spent time on and off the Chargers roster. He returned on a futures contract for the 2024 season.

In 2023, Los Angeles waived him following the preseason and Duggan was later re-signed to the practice squad.

Los Angeles drafted Duggan in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The TCU product signed a four-year, $3.9 million rookie contract with the Chargers.

Duggan was a Heisman trophy finalist. The 23-year-old led TCU to the national championship game in his senior year with the Horn Frogs. Duggnan also earned several collegiate accolades, including a first-team All-Big-12 selection, unanimous second-team All-American, and the Big-12 Player of the Year.

Duggan appeared in 47 games throughout his four years at TCU. He completed 739 of his 1,225 pass attempts for 9, 618 yards, 73 touchdowns, and threw 28 picks. Duggan also posted 1,856 rushing yards on 488 attempts and an additional 28 scores.

The quarterback competition continues in Los Angeles with Stick and Perez now competing for the No.2 spot as Justin Herbert's backup.

Stick is currently leading the race, but is quickly losing his advantage following his second preseason performance on Saturday.

Stick fumbled a snap one yard from the end zone. It was a costly turnover and Harbaugh wasn't happy about the play.

"We get all the way down to the 1 and we fumble the snap and have a turnover in the red zone," Harbaugh said, via the team's transcript. "Those are the kind of things you can't do. You have to control those controlables."

Stick also threw a pick. His two mistakes essentially tainted anything else he did in the matchup. The backup quarterback spoke on the Chargers' 13-9 loss postgame.

"We did take a step, we got better ... but there's a lot of room out there for us to grow," Stick said.

"We've got to get our of our own way a little bit and obviously it starts with me being cleaner."

The viable options at quarterback seem to quickly be dwindling for the Chargers, which is a cause for concern given Herbert's plantar fascia injury may have lingering effects into the regular season.