Easton Stick cements himself as a real Chargers cut candidate with dreadful start

The LA Chargers are hoping Justin Herbert is able to return at the start of the regular season after suffering a plantar fascia injury during training camp. If Herbert is unable to play, the penciled-in backup is Easton Stick, who started four games for the Bolts last season.

Stick struggled in 2023 and those struggles continued in the first preseason game of the year. Chargers fans were optimistic Stick could turn it around in the second preseason game of the year against the Los Angeles Rams... but that was not the case.

Stick started the second preseason game of the year even after Jim Harbaugh refused to commit to a starter after Stick's first disaster. Unfortunately for the Chargers' backup signal-caller, his second preseason effort may have been worse than the first.

Stick completed eight of 13 passes for 85 yards with an interception. It went deeper than just the numbers, though, as Stick looked as flustered as a JV quarterback who is forced to play varsity. Rushing throws, inaccurate attempts, and scrambling even though there was no pressure were the highlights of Stick's game.

Chargers cannot commit to Easton Stick being the QB2

With Herbert's lingering foot injury, even after taking off the walking boot, the Chargers absolutely cannot afford to roll into the 2024 season with Stick as the backup quarterback. If Herbert has to miss any time for any reason the Chargers would essentially be committing to losing any game Stick starts.

No backup quarterback is going to come in and be Herbert. Expecting that is silly. However, Joe Flacco and the Cleveland Browns proved to us last season how important a backup quarterback can be.

Even if Herbert enters the season fully healthy, a competitive team with playoff aspirations has to invest in the backup quarterback position. It isn't flashy, and it won't sell tickets, but as the most important position on the roster the Chargers have to find someone better.

Stick simply is not the answer. He seems beloved in the Chargers' locker room and by Herbert specifically but that alone should not get him a roster spot. Heck, the Chargers can cut him, sign him to the practice squad, and still keep him in the building. No team is going to claim him on its 53-man roster after his preseason showing.

Some fans wanted to give Stick the benefit of the doubt after the first preseason game but he no longer deserves that distinction. What does it mean when someone has a handful of bad regular-season starts, a bad camp, and multiple bad preseason starts?

It means they are not a good NFL quarterback.