There is a general rule of thumb in the NFL. When new Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel talks about a quarterback, people are listening. That is precisely why what he said about Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in a recent press conference is already being discussed all over the league. For McDaniel, expectations for Justin Herbert go much further than just being productive within the Los Angeles offense.
McDaniel Thinks Chargers’ Quarterback Has Room To Grow Significantly
McDaniel made it clear that the bar was set very high as far as his expectations go for the young Chargers quarterback.
“I had very, very lofty expectations. Justin’s up there as one of the main motivating factors of moving my family here,” McDaniel said. Lofty expectations, and I can say with absolute certainty he’s exceeded those. Just very motivated and focused.”
Here is s where it gets really scary for the rest of the league. If McDaniel is correct, Herbert may finally have a true offensive guru who is committed to making this offense go through his strengths rather than requiring him to adapt to his coaches. Herbert already has had gigantic numbers thrown up, even with year after year of coaching changes, injuries, and an unsorted offensive attack surrounding him. The Chargers offense could be a top-three offense with two or three rapid ascensions quickly.
McDaniel continued to discuss how impressed he was with Herbert and that they are only at the beginning stages of the process.
“I’ve been very impressed, very motivated to continue the process because so far, so good. We’re at the very beginning stages of the race, but at this stage, I couldn’t be happier with that working relationship and the process moving forward with him.”
McDaniel believes Herbert’s best football may still be ahead of him
While Herbert has already established himself as one of the NFL’s premier quarterbacks, McDaniel emphasized that he believes the Chargers quarterback is still capable of reaching another level entirely. In discussing Herbert’s future within the offense, McDaniel delivered a statement that should immediately excite Chargers fans.
“We’re looking to master and be elite at everything that we do and be able to own the position in a new way,” McDaniel said. “Being able for him to own the position in a way he never has and ultimately, for it to be obvious to everyone around that he’s playing the best football of his career.”
The biggest takeaway from McDaniel’s comments is that they do not think the younger Chargers quarterback is ‘complete’. Herbert already ranks among the best signal callers in the NFL. McDaniel is not talking about retaining the same level of play; he is explicitly mentioning moving Herbert into career-best form. That is pretty frightening, given that he already has over 21,000 yards and 137 touchdowns with consistent coaching turnover and inadequate support staff offensively on his roster.
The Chargers seem committed to building an offense
If McDaniel is right, the rest of the AFC West might not be too far behind in having to face an even more lethal version of the Chargers’ quarterback than it has had to worry about for much of the last few seasons. Los Angeles fans can certainly be excited by that, as Herbert has already been an elite quarterback for most of his career. The difference is that the team is finally committed to building an offense that gets the most out of all parts of his game, instead of trying to make his raw talent cover all the bases for them.