For fans of the Los Angeles Chargers, it's no secret that Justin Herbert has been a lightning pole for criticism throughout his six NFL seasons.
Sure, he got ample praise earlier in his career. But as Los Angeles has routinely failed to earn a playoff victory with him at the helm, the words most consistently tossed around on a league-wide scale have consistently fallen into the "overrated" category. In truth, Herbert is an elite quarterback— he just has yet to prove that on a bigger stage.
Both things can be true, and it's fair to support Herbert's status as a top-10 QB while acknowledging that there's room for growth within his game.
In Jeremy Fowler's latest QB rankings for ESPN, compiled through votes from various coaches, scouts, and executives across the league, Herbert ranked seventh. But of course, what took the spotlight was a quote that Fowler included from an anonymous coordinator.
"He plays young. He's incredibly talented and has made progress, but he doesn't have the maturity level of the other guys as far as how he runs the overall operation and mastery of the position." Anonymous NFL Coordinator via ESPN
As polarizing and critical as this quote may seem on the surface, the reality behind it is actually much more benign. As Herbert enters Year 7, he has room to grow exponentially on the mental side of the game under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
Justin Herbert can truly enter 'elite' status— however you want to define it— under Mike McDaniel
In fairness, very few people would argue that Herbert is on the same level as the Patrick Mahomes and the Joe Burrows of the NFL. But there's a wide gulf between them and someone like Baker Mayfield or Bryce Young, and Herbert is undeniably on the upper echelon of that scale.
But there are also clear deficits in his game, especially in his decision-making on the biggest stages. His four interceptions against the Houston Texans in the 2024 Wild Card Round matchup will be a permanent dent on his résumé, as will the team's three-point outing against the New England Patriots in last year's playoff appearance. At times, he can be overwhelmed by pressure or he can fail to make the right reads within more complex play calls.
Under Greg Roman, though, the answers simply weren't there for Herbert and the offense as a whole. When the run game got taken away, Roman's passing concepts and ability to utilize all parts of the field were too simplified, too elementary. That should certainly change under McDaniel.
Under the idealized version of McDaniel's scheme, the load on the quarterback is lightened in terms of extending plays and avoiding pressure. But in terms of the mental parts of the game, his scheme is best realized when the quarterback is able to work in tandem with the center in setting the protection and consistently make the right reads in the passing game.
It's not the most flexible scheme for a quarterback, but we also have largely seen a simplified version in Miami that catered to the deficits in Tua Tagovailoa's game. Who knows what McDaniel can dial up with a quarterback of Herbert's caliber at his disposal?
Herbert's critics will use this quote to prove he isn't on that 'elite' level yet, but it's simply a matter of how you define the term. Herbert is easily among the top seven quarterbacks in the NFL, but his leap into the top four or five depends on him cleaning up the mental side of the game. If McDaniel can provide that, another barrier between Herbert and that 'elite' status will be torn down.
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