Ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, some wild takes were being thrown around that the Los Angeles Chargers might be willing to entertain the thought of trading quarterback Justin Herbert, thus paving the way to replace him by selecting J.J. McCarthy with the No. 5 overall pick.
The connection to McCarthy at least made a little sense, as the Bolts had hired Jim Harbaugh, who won a national championship with McCarthy at Michigan and had no problem praising the 2023 Big Ten Quarterback of the Year in the months, days, and weeks leading into the draft.
Trading Herbert was never going to happen, and obviously never did, but that didn't stop a couple of teams from trying, as Adam Schefter reported on draft night that both the Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots made calls to the Chargers, only to have their respective requests rejected. The Bolts ultimately took Joe Alt at No. 5 overall, while McCarthy went to the Vikes at No. 10. The Pats, of course, took Drake Maye at No. 3, and that's working out well for them.
The same can't be said for the Vikings, as McCarthy has now missed 22 of a possible 24 regular-season games since being drafted after sitting out Minnesota's Thursday night matchup against Harbaugh & Co. As for Herbert, who, again, was never going anywhere last spring, he continues to prove what Chargers fans have known all along, as he was once again brilliant in the Bolts' 37-10 blowout victory.
Justin Herbert played one of his most efficient games of the year in the Chargers' win over the Vikings
While Herbert threw for a career-high 420 yards in this past Sunday's humiliating loss to the Indianapolis Colts, that was basically a byproduct of being forced to throw the ball 55 times, as the Chargers fell behind early and had no choice but to try and claw their way back by airing it out.
But that wasn't the case on Thursday night, as it was Los Angeles that jumped out ahead early, as Herbert hit rising star tight end Oronde Gadsden II with an 8-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and cruised from there.
Overall, Herbert had one of his most efficient games of the season thus far, completing 18 of his season-low 25 passes for 227 yards with three touchdowns, also adding a season-high 62 yards on the ground on just seven rushing attempts. Yes, he threw his seventh interception of the year, but that was on a tipped ball that he really couldn't control.
Some were concerned about how Herbert would handle the Vikings' heavy blitz attack, but he wasn't phased in the slightest, completing 13 of 15 throws for 162 yards, the fourth-most of his career against the blitz, with two touchdowns.