After three starts as the fill-in for Tyrod Taylor, Justin Herbert has officially taken over as the Los Angeles Chargers' quarterback. Coach Anthony Lynn, who for weeks declined to publicly turn the team's No. 1 job over to the rookie signal-caller, announced Thursday that Herbert will begin serving as the permanent starter on Monday against the New Orleans Saints.
"I like to be decisive, but I take my time," Lynn told reporters, hinting at his own repeated assurances that Taylor would keep his starting job upon recovery from injury. "I wanted this to play out, and I've seen enough, and I wanted to go ahead and make it official."
The move shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who's seen Herbert, 22, sling the ball in Taylor's absence since Week 2. But it's notable nonetheless, considering Lynn talked up Taylor all offseason as a quality veteran starter and even suggested Herbert wouldn't see the field much at all as a rookie. Even after Taylor was abruptly forced out of the lineup when a team doctor reportedly punctured his lung in a pre-game injection gone wrong, the coach declined to make an official change at the position.
Herbert, however, wasted no time making an impact once given the reigns of the offense, eclipsing 300 passing yards in each of his first two starts, including against the rival Kansas City Chiefs, and then completing 80 percent of his throws in a valiant effort against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4. The Oregon product hasn't been perfect, throwing an interception in three straight games, but he's showcased the arm strength and pocket poise that helped him go sixth overall in April's 2020 draft. After his first three NFL starts, his passer rating (102.2) ranks just outside the top 10 among current starting QBs.
Herbert will have a prime-time stage for his first official game as L.A.'s permanent starter, with the Chargers (1-3) set to visit the New Orleans Saints on Monday night.
