Los Angeles will be without Justin Herbert for some time
NFL training camps are underway and Thursday night marks the annual Hall of Fame Game, the official start to the league’s preseason slate.
Now we also have our first significant quarterback injury of the 2024 season.
The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Thursday that Justin Herbert had suffered an injury during practice on Wednesday, and testing following the practice session had uncovered an “injury to the plantar fascia in his right foot.” The team shared the news on social media Thursday afternoon.
In addition, the team noted that doctors have recommended Herbert take “approximately two weeks in a boot — followed by a graduated return to play protocol — with the expectation that he will be ready for the start of the regular season.”
Obviously, an injury like this to the starting quarterback, during a training camp where said passer is learning a new offensive system, is not something a team wants to hear as August begins. Complicating matters for Herbert, a right-handed passer, is that an injury to his back foot is something critical to monitor given the mechanics of his throwing motion. By and large, Herbert will begin throws by driving off that right foot, which will generate pressure and stress on that foot when he returns to action.
If there is a silver lining for the Chargers, it may be found in their schedule. While there is the “expectation” that he will be ready for the start of the regular season, his recovery will determine whether Herbert is back for Week 1. The Chargers open the 2024 regular season by hosting the Las Vegas Raiders and then head east to take on the Carolina Panthers in Week 2.
After playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3, the Chargers host Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4, followed by a bye week in Week 5.
So while this news is probably not something Chargers fans wanted to hear, the schedule does give Los Angeles some breathing room as the regular season begins. In the interim, expect to see a lot of Easton Stick, Max Duggan, and Casey Bauman this summer at training camp.
Unless Jim Harbaugh wants to take some more QB reps.
