Justin Herbert deserves to remain Chargers starting quarterback

The Chargers are sticking with Tyrod Taylor despite Justin Herbert’s impressive debut.

The Los Angeles Chargers just finished a game in which it was clear that their first round pick and future franchise quarterback is the real deal and somehow head coach Anthony Lynn responded by saying he was going to… put him back on the bench.

On Sunday afternoon, the Chargers went with Justin Herbert under center after veteran starter Tyrod Taylor was too hurt to play after aggravating a rib injury. Herbert looked very impressive from the outset with poise, confidence, and a solid command of the Chargers offense despite no preseason games and sitting for Week 1. He was rewarded by being told after the game that the job still belonged to Taylor.

There’s a principle in some NFL circles that no player should lose their job to an injury, but the Chargers were never set up for Taylor to run the team for the long haul. He was always supposed to be a stopgap solution, giving the franchise time to develop Herbert as the long-term quarterback. Signing Taylor in the first place was about patience, if needed, and security, again if needed.

It turns out, the Chargers don’t need either of these things.

Did Herbert make some rookie mistakes in his first career start? Yes. He was also playing against the defending Super Bowl champions. Even with a decimated defense, the Chiefs were going to be a tough opponent for any quarterback, let alone one who is making his NFL debut. Instead of looking overwhelmed, which would have been understandable, Herbert looked every bit the part of “franchise face.”

Herbert completed 23 of 33 passes for 311 yards and 1 touchdown. He also rushed for another touchdown on a nice 4-yard run that required some awareness and wheels. He punished the Chiefs at multiple points with unexpected runs and real zip on his passes. He overthrew a few teammates early in the game and was intercepted in the second half by L’Jarius Sneed, but both issues looked like rookie jitters or obvious lessons learned.

Anyone who watched the game would come away believing that the Chargers had done what every team in the draft tries to do when taking a quarterback early. After watching a team legend leave in free agency in Philip Rivers, the Bolts were fortunate enough to grab another prospect in Herbert who can actually handle the role. But now, instead of allowing him to build on that experience, he’s going back to the bench just so a veteran can stave him off for, maybe, a few more weeks.

Despite the stomach punch of a home loss, Chargers fans should have reason to feel good about the ultimate direction of the franchise with Herbert running the offense. Instead they’ll have to watch the offense deal with middling results while waiting for the coaching staff to feel good enough about some silly nebulous timeline for the sake of Herbert’s readiness.

If you watched the game, it’s clear Justin Herbert is plenty ready.