The Los Angeles Chargers brought backup quarterback Trey Lance back on a one-year. $2.5 million contract this offseason. Given how little time Justin Herbert has missed throughout his career, this is a move that (hopefully) should not have any major implications.
But Lance is a bit of an odd archetype to have as your backup. He's shown himself to be a capable athlete and play extender when he's been called into action throughout his career. But his complete lack of consistent throwing and game-managing abilities, combined with his injuries, are what led to his relegation to back-up status originally during his years in San Francisco.
It's hard not to hold that Week 18 performance against him, but we'll try to set that to the side here. No matter how you spin it, however, it's hard to imagine Lance being the type of player the Chargers require if they need their backup to step in for a set of games and keep the team afloat.
Harbaugh, in his recent comments at the League Meeting, indicated his faith in Lance's continued development, however. While it was likely (mostly) coach-speak, it could grant some insight into how Los Angeles views Lance's long-term outlook with the organization.
It's a long-shot, but Trey Lance is in the right part of his career to finally find his footing
Per Matt Barrows and Vic Tafur of The Athletic, Harbaugh indicated that he believes Lance can have the same type of mid-career resurgence that quarterbacks like Sam Darnold and Geno Smith have had. His actual quoted words, however, were a bit of a Harbaugh-ism:
“Great guy, great pro, great competitor — and we saw some really good development in him last year... And it continues. He’s at that age, right? I mean, that’s the fat part of the bat right there for a quarterback. So I’m excited for his continued progress.”- Jim Harbaugh
In the 2025 preseason, Lance actually looked effective as a passer and a rusher. Through four games, he amassed 334 passing yards on a 56.1 completion percentage, tacking on 81 rushing yards on 14 attempts. If the Chargers want to use him in limited situations as a rusher this season, that could be a viable option. Mike McDaniel was the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, Lance's rookie year.
But it's clear Harbaugh and the Chargers have higher hopes for Lance's development. This offseason, we just saw a backup quarterback who had 35 passing attempts in 2025 sign a three-year, $67.5 million contract. That was, of course, Malik Willis. He likely earned his former team, the Green Bay Packers, a compensatory pick in the third or fourth-round for next season.
At just 25, Lance still has plenty of time to find the right destination and continue to improve in his role. If he gets a chance to play this year with Los Angeles, perhaps it could be the time for him to have that break-out.