Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has been on the receiving end of a beating this season behind an offensive line that has rolled out 20-plus different combinations through 11 games.
So is Herbert injured?
First, the stats behind Herbert’s snaps this year will boggle the mind. Despite miserable line play, he’s completing 66.5 percent of his passes with 2,691 yards and 19 touchdowns against nine interceptions.
But Herbert has been sacked 35 times. He’s taken 90-plus hits and been pressured more than 190 times. He’s hobbled off the field or been checked for an injury in each of his past two games now, too.
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A few weeks back, Herbert appeared to suffer an ankle injury that had him limping off the field. Asked about it, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh threw out a funny quip instead of really answering the question.
“I do have an update on his physical status: He is still a beast," Harbaugh said, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.
Funny, but it wasn’t a week later during the loss to Jacksonville when Herbert needed replaced by Trey Lance for a concussion check before going to the locker room at halftime early.
Herbert returned, but the writing seems to be on the wall here: Something needs to change because Herbert is seriously at risk.
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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
What can change?
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Free-agent signing Mekhi Becton, now a massive bust, was supposed to come in and stabilize the line bookended by Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt at the tackle spots.
In addition to Becton’s bust, those tackles are out for the season. Trevor Penning, the trade deadline arrival, was a bust in his debut. The Chargers are crossing their fingers that Bobby Hart, signed off the street weeks ago, can get healthy and help.
And overall, the Chargers were grossly negligent in attempting to upgrade on the interior over Bradley Bozeman and Zion Johnson all offseason.
So no, Herbert isn't injured enough to miss games right now. But it would be hard to blame Chargers fans for wincing at every dropback for the remainder of the season.
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