Chargers' Jim Harbaugh Provides Optimistic Outlook on Justin Herbert's Week 1 Status

Valentina Martinez | Aug 21, 2024

Aug 17, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterbacks coach Shane Day (left), quarterback Justin Herbert (center) and linebackers coach Navorro Bowman during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is on course to return to the team by the regular season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to head coach Jim Harbaugh.

The Bolts take on their division rivals on Sept. 8, which means fans only have to wait just a few more weeks to see Herbert on the field.

Herbert hasn't practiced since July 31 after suffering from a plantar fascia injury in his right foot. The Oregon product was contained to a walking boot for two weeks but was at practice without it for the time on Aug. 15.

Prior to Saturday's matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, Herbert spent time on the field for warmups. Herbert even threw lightly in warmups and throughout the game on the sideline.

There is still a possibility that the plantar fascia injury will have lingering effects. If that were the case, it would be a major setback for the Chargers. The team desperately needs their No.1 quarterback in order to have a successful season.

The current backup quarterback situation is alarming. Easton Stick had a terrible outing on Saturday.

According to Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, Stick is under the same expectations the coaches put on Herbert.

"Why would it? We have one of the best starting quarterbacks in the world, and the next quarterback would be under the same expectations as if Justin was (healthy). … We’d still want to see the same type of performance and improvement,” Harbaugh told Daniel Popper of The Athletic.

If that is the case, Stick is certainly not meeting expectations. Unfortunately, he's only gotten worse.

The backup quarterback threw a pick and fumbled a snap at the one-yard line which only tainted his performance.

"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 controllables."

The Chargers need to find a viable option for backup quarterback and it's evident Stick is not the man for the job.

"The effort is there, the competitiveness is there," Harbaugh said. "It's just fixable things."

There are a lot of unknowns surrounding Herbert's injury. If the injury continues to affect him into the regular season, the Chargers will need a steady backup quarterback.

If Los Angeles doesn't get a solid backup, Harbaugh's first season for the Chargers could be doomed from the start.