For those who don't watch closely, it has been quite easy to discredit what Justin Herbert has done in six years with the Los Angeles Chargers. No, he hasn't won a playoff game yet, but holding that against him is a massive oversimplification of what he's had to deal with in his career.
Not only have the Chargers' supporting cast and offensive play-callers, this side of Shane Steichen, been iffy, at best, throughout his tenure, but Los Angeles has failed to stay healthy. That has come in the form of offensive weapons, linemen and key defenders all missing time at critical junctures.
And although Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh didn't have the most outstanding offseason in the eyes of most, folks are forgetting about a few additions, as well as players that the Chargers will get back. This completely changes the complexion in Los Angeles and puts Herbert firmly in the MVP race.
ESPN has Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert as early and easy 2026 MVP candidate
ESPN writers came out with a massive list of tidbits, predictions and more on Monday to kick off June, and to nobody's surprise, they included a list of MVP frontrunners, courtesy of analytics guru Seth Walder. His rationale for Herbert being a prime candidate is simple and easy to get behind.
"I don't think we can overestimate how big a difference a healthy Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater could make to Herbert's efficiency and production," Walder began. "Add in Mike McDaniel at offensive coordinator, and this really could be the season Herbert finally establishes himself as an MVP quarterback."
The Chargers haven't had an MVP since LaDainian Tomlinson's herculean season back in 2006. But with how simply Walder lays it out here, it just feels like Herbert has the best chance of his career to ascend to the NFL's personal mountaintop and bring home some hardware.
Anyone who watched the Los Angeles offense last year knew two things: Greg Roman's approach was archaic and didn't take advantage of all that Herbert brings to the table, and the Chargers were sorely missing two big presences up front. All of this was "addressed" this offseason.
For Alt and Slater, this was merely a matter of getting healthy. And by all accounts, both should be ready to go to start the 2026 NFL season. Not only will this help protect Herbert and prevent him from running for his life, but it'll help establish the run game, which is always a quarterback's best friend.
McDaniel's offense will also look futuristic compared to what Roman subjected Bolts fans to last year. With his quarterback-friendly system that once made Tua Tagovailoa look like a star, Herbert is sure to shine even brighter, especially with a set of skill position players who don't get enough credit.
Omarion Hampton and Tre Harris are poised for breakout seasons under an innovative offensive mind, Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston are ever-ascending, and the speed of Keaton Mitchell and Brenen Thompson can be lethal, based on McDaniel's track record.
With the offense modernizing, better protection and a play-caller who actually understands what a special talent Herbert is, everything is moving in the right direction for Los Angeles in 2026. And Herbert stands to benefit the most, pushing him firmly and easily into MVP territory.
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