Jim Harbaugh has already called him one of the greatest players to ever play his position.
The perception nationally of Justin Herbert isn’t as charitable. The consensus is that Herbert doesn’t belong in the top tier of NFL quarterbacks alongside the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen or Joe Burrow.
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If anything, Herbert might be viewed as being closer to Jared Goff or Brock Purdy than Mahomes or Jackson.
As overwhelming as his athletic gifts are, as many jaw-dropping passes as he’s completed, Herbert still hasn’t won a playoff game for the Chargers.
His coach has greater ambitions than a solitary postseason victory for him, however.
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“The Super Bowl,” Harbaugh said. “That’s what we’re going for, the Super Bowl. That’s our goal. We’re going to do it or die trying.”
From the outside, such a leap feels entirely possible.
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The Chargers were 11-6 and qualified for the playoffs last year in Harbaugh’s first season as their coach. The last time he coached in the NFL, with the San Francisco 49ers, he reached the Super Bowl in Year 2.
Harbaugh has won at each of his previous coaching stops, inspiring confidence around the Chargers that it’s a matter of time until he replicates those results with them.
But if Harbaugh winning feels like an inevitability, so does the reemergence of the Chargers’ Curse. The organization’s history is one of screwing things up, and so far in the battle between the two unstoppable and opposite forces, the Curse has the upper hand.
The Chargers have already taken the most Chargers-like of blows, as they signed Rashawn Slater to an extension that made him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history, only to have him sustain a season-ending knee injury days later.
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Slater was a part of the foundation Harbaugh established last year, and the team was expected to be built around its two tackles, with Slater on the left side and former No. 5 overall draft pick Joe Alt on the right. Slater’s place at left tackle will be taken by Alt. Trey Pipkins III will start at right tackle.
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Even with Slater, there were questions about the offensive line, particularly about whether enough was done to address the shortcomings on the interior. The Chargers spent a sixth-round draft choice on guard Branson Taylor but cut him from their 53-man roster. Taylor was signed to the practice squad.
Harbaugh maintained his trademark upbeat demeanor when asked how the line has come together in the wake of Slater’s injury.
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“I think good,” he said. “The starting five right now is set. They’ve jelled very well in practice and I feel good about that.”
The Chargers are taking a by-the-committee approach at both cornerback and tight end, which points to a lack of high-end talent at either position. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will likely rotate players on the defensive line as well, but that’s an area in which the Chargers have real horses, including Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, Teair Tart and Jamaree Caldwell.
The holes on the roster, coupled with a loaded division in the AFC West and more difficult schedule than last year, could very well result in the Chargers taking a step back this season. Progress isn’t always linear.
Fair or not, the blame for that will ultimately fall on Herbert, who is now in his sixth NFL season.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert speaks to reporters after the first day of training camp in July. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)
Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz did what they could to upgrade the weapons around him. They used their first-round pick on a running back in Omarion Hampton of North Carolina and signed Najee Harris, who recently came back from an eye injury that sidelined him for the majority of camp.
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The Chargers unearthed a gem last year in receiver Ladd McConkey, but they continued to add to their receiver room by drafting Tre’ Harris in the second round and KeAndre Lambert-Smith in the fifth. Both Harris and Lambert-Smith had promising moments in the preseason. The team also brought back one of Herbert’s favorite targets in 33-year-old Keenan Allen, who spent last season with the Chicago Bears.
The team has lost the two postseason games it has played with Herbert as its quarterback, but Herbert wasn’t solely responsible for the results. Former coach Brandon Staley’s failure to develop a consistent running game was the primary reason the Chargers blew a 27-point lead to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Herbert’s third season. The Chargers’ inability to protect Herbert was a major factor in his four intercepted passes in a loss to the Houston Texans last season.
However legitimate the excuses, the ledger shows that Herbert has zero playoff wins. His postseason record is what defines him and that won’t change. How the Chargers finish this season will continue to determine how Herbert is viewed.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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