Justin Herbert is doing something he has never done in his NFL career: play in the preseason. Head coach Jim Harbaugh announced that every starter other than Khalil Mack and Derwin James will play in the Chargers' preseason game on Sunday, marking a career first for the Chargers' signal-caller.
The only year in which Herbert would have played in the preseason was his rookie season in 2020. However, there were no preseason games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From there, former head coach Brandon Staley took a cautious approach with Herbert and the starters in the preseason.
Various starters played in the preseason last year for the Bolts but not Herbert, who was dealing with a foot injury at the time.
Justin Herbert to play his first-ever Chargers preseason game vs. Rams
Harbaugh said that Herbert will play a series or two in his preseason debut. It will be interesting to see how much the Chargers drop Herbert back against the Rams as there is an obvious risk of playing a quarterback in the preseason.
It isn't just Herbert, though, as Chargers fans will get many questions answered in the one-to-two series that Herbert will play. The entire starting offensive is playing against the Rams, which will reveal a lot about the offensive line and wide receiver room particularly.
The Chargers' starting offensive line will emulate the team's Week 18 offensive line from last season. Joe Alt will start at left tackle, Trey Pipkins at right tackle, and Jamaree Salyer most likely at right guard (with Mekhi Becton still dealing with an injury).
It's also compelling to see how the wide receiver room shakes out. How will the team utilize Ladd McConkey and Keenan Allen together? Which Chargers wide receivers will get targeted the most by Herbert? What does the depth chart actually look like?
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Chargers fans won't get definitive answers to any of these questions from just two offensive drives, but they will get far more information than they've gotten to this point.
Plus, if Herbert and the starters are playing against the Rams then they will likely play even more against the San Francisco 49ers in the final preseason game of the year. Between the two preseason games, Chargers fans will get a good idea on what to expect for Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Hopefully, Herbert's first preseason game goes as smoothly as possible and does not lead to any long-term implications that impact the team's season. We hate even putting that out in the universe, but it is an obvious risk of playing in the preseason.