Chargers QB Justin Herbert adapting to new, faster-paced offense

EL SEGUNDO - Justin Herbert dropped back to pass as the Chargers' organized team activities continued Tuesday at their training facility. He set up to throw during an individual drill, but there wasn't a football in his hands. Instead, he held a green weighted ball and then made a throwing motion with both hands.

Herbert joined backups Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei in a three-man quarterback rotation, but he didn't throw a single pass during an hour-plus workout. It was part of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's plan to focus on Herbert's footwork while also saving his arm for bigger days ahead.

"Just understanding that it's June," Herbert said of a scheduled non-throwing day, one of several possible leading up to the Chargers' mandatory minicamp later this month.

It was another sign that things will be different with McDaniel in charge, Herbert's fifth offensive coordinator during his seven-year NFL career. The pace will be quicker, too. The plan is for Herbert to get his feet and his arm moving faster, with a goal of releasing the ball within 2.4 seconds.

Herbert was hit more times than any other NFL quarterback during the 2025 season, and he was sacked a career-high 54 times in 16 regular-season games. Part of the onslaught against him last season could be pinned on season-ending injuries to tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater.

Their replacements weren't as capable, but Herbert suggested some of the burden should be placed on his own shoulders. He said he might have held onto the ball too long too often while trying to make something happen when the best move might have been to throw it quicker.

McDaniel's scheme involves getting the ball out of Herbert's hands and into the hands of his targets, whether it's wide receivers like Quentin Johnston or Ladd McConkey or tight ends like David Njoku or Oronde Gadsden or even running backs like Omarion Hampton or Keaton Mitchell.

It's all about yards after the catch – or YAC as it's better known.

Herbert acknowledged it's different from the way Greg Roman ran the Chargers' offense for the past two seasons, before Roman was fired after their AFC wild-card playoff loss to the New England Patriots, when it seemed the offense was out of options against one of the league's top defenses.

"That's kind of been the big emphasis of getting the ball out and getting the ball into the receiver's hands at a time when they can turn it up field and make something happen," Herbert said. "We turned on a tape of Miami in the past few years and how many plays they had in YAC, with guys catching the ball and breaking it for a touchdown. So, the better I can do it, get involved quicker, into their hands and into a position where they can run with it, I think the better off we'll be."

McDaniel spent the past four seasons as the Dolphins' head coach.

In the end, there was more to Herbert's initial film sessions with McDaniel. They watched clip after clip of Herbert's throws, from great ones to bad ones and everything in between. In the end, what stood out was that Herbert completed roughly 80% of his passes when delivering the ball in 2.4 seconds or less.

"I think Mike's done a great job," Herbert said. "He comes into the quarterback room all the time, talking about exactly what he sees from this offense, what he wants and we'll go through practice film and he's very clear. And so I appreciate how up front, how honest he is with everyone, and he's definitely fun to be around."

INJURY UPDATES

Alt said he was cleared to practice with no restrictions and expected to be set to participate fully when training camp begins in late July. He suffered ankle injuries in Weeks 4 and 9, with the second one knocking him out for the remainder of his second NFL season.

In addition, Slater said he expected to be cleared to practice fully in the coming weeks. He said Tuesday was his 300th rehab day, which meant there were 65 days remaining until the day he sustained a season-ending knee injury during a seemingly routine training camp drill in August.

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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 4:07 PM.