Justin Herbert's strong Day 2 of camp is a stark reminder of the Mike McDaniel effect

For the Los Angeles Chargers, the hiring of Mike McDaniel has been nothing but a constant source of optimism this offseason.

Not only does his West Coast-style offensive scheme promise to provide much more intrigue, especially through the air, than what Greg Roman gave Los Angeles during his two seasons with the organization, but McDaniel also has a clear-cut vision for how to maximize star quarterback Justin Herbert. We won't know all the details until the season unfolds— but we do know it involves a new shotgun stance and more quick-timing passes to mitigate any pressure he might face from opposing defenses.

There was reason to be uncertain about how Herbert might have looked at the start of training camp given the major changes the offense has undergone this offseason. But Herbert seems to be getting right down to business, and that serves as a reminder of the true effect McDaniel can have on the QB as he enters his seventh NFL season.

If everything comes together quickly, this could be the year that Herbert finally proves his doubters wrong.

Justin Herbert looks solid in his training camp reps so far

Per Eric Smith at Chargers.com, Herbert had a number of impressive throws on Day 2 of camp— hitting Keaton Mitchell, Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey, and Tre' Harris for deep throws in 11-on-11 drills against the defense.

Herbert also made an impressive pass to rookie receiver Brenen Thompson on a crossing route during team drills.

During OTAs, Herbert spent a significant amount of time without throwing the ball, instead focusing on his footwork and the new timing that McDaniel wanted to implement into his game. Over the first two days of training camp, Herbert has looked smoother than ever.

Although it was disappointing not to see him in action quite as much during OTAs, it's clear that those reps have paid dividends. While it's still too early to draw broad conclusions, Herbert looks like the QB he's always been— a formidable downfield throwing threat.

Mike McDaniel could be the key that finally unlocks Herbert as an elite QB

Again, it's too early to draw broad conclusions. But if there's one thing we know about Roman's air attack, it's that he didn't have the schematic tools to truly maximize the middle of the field.

It's not as though the Chargers didn't have the receivers to do so. Both Johnston and Harris are major contested-catch threats, and McConkey has the speed and open-field agility to create explosive plays when he gets the ball in space. But Roman's passing game was largely confined to attacking the flat— in part because of the limitations of his offensive line, but also because of the staleness of his passing concepts.

That's certain to be an area McDaniel wants to target in 2026. If the Chargers offense is able to consistently establish the outside zone run and the short passes that McDaniel thrives on, there will certainly be opportunities for throws like the ones Herbert completed to his trio of receivers in practice today.

That's the type of play that could unlock Herbert and, by extension, the offense. If Herbert is able to put himself into genuine MVP consideration through McDaniel's scheme, there will be no more room to argue against his status as an 'elite' quarterback.

But we're likely getting ahead of ourselves here. To see Herbert already looking so comfortable in the flow of the offense is, at the very least, an encouraging sign.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow