The Los Angeles Chargers aren’t taking any chances with quarterback Justin Herbert.
He’s not going to play, and he won’t even dress, in Week 18. Instead, backup quarterback Trey Lance is going to get the start.
That’s not to say that the Chargers aren’t playing for anything against the Denver Broncos, though. Their loss to the Houston Texans this past weekend took away their ability to win the AFC West, but there is still playoff seeding at stake.
Still, you get the sense that head coach Jim Harbaugh is thinking long-term with the decision to sit Herbert for this one. The star quarterback isn’t the only player who the Chargers will sit.
“Winning and health, being healthy, those are our two objectives,” Harbaugh said, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. “And guys that we think — the doctors, the trainers, myself, organization — that have the most bruises and need that time the most, we’ve decided that’s the direction we’re going.”
Justin Herbert to sit for Los Angeles Chargers’ season finale
Herbert has been playing despite a fractured left hand since Week 13, so this will be a good chance for him to rest up and try to get as close to 100 percent as possible for a playoff run.
He was sacked five times in the loss to the Texans, and the injured hand was noticeably bothering him. He threw for 236 yards and a touchdown while leading the team in rushing yards with 37.
Herbert, the former No. 6 overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, was recently selected to his second Pro Bowl. He has 3,727 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions this season, as well as a career-high 489 yards (two rushing touchdowns).