Trey Lance’s name didn’t light up headlines when the Los Angeles Chargers signed him to back up Justin Herbert. But behind the scenes, one coach’s word carried weight.
“I’m really excited about Trey,” Jim Harbaugh said recently, his trademark gravelly tone carrying more than just optimism—it carried a tip from someone he trusts. That someone? Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.
Los Angeles Chargers: How Mike McCarthy Put Trey Lance on Jim Harbaugh’s Radar
“Mike McCarthy actually got that message to us…to me,” Harbaugh noted. “And I appreciate him for that.”
It was McCarthy who saw Lance up close in Dallas last season. Though Lance never saw the field, the former No. 3 overall pick apparently impressed with his day-to-day work behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush. McCarthy’s message was clear: this guy still has something.
Harbaugh listened.
Now, Lance enters Chargers camp with a real shot at the No. 2 job. He’ll battle Taylor Heinicke, but Harbaugh’s early endorsement suggests Lance is more than just a camp body—he’s a project worth investing in.
Meanwhile, Herbert—firmly entrenched as the starter—finds himself navigating a different kind of message. Despite gaudy career numbers and a strong 2024 season, Pro Football Focus recently ranked him eighth among NFL quarterbacks, placing him behind names like Jayden Daniels and Matthew Stafford. PFF labeled him merely a “high-end starter,” citing his 0–2 playoff record as the sticking point.
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Inside the building, though, there’s little doubt about Herbert’s standing—or what this coaching staff is building. Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz took over a 5–12 squad and turned it into an 11–6 playoff team with the league’s top scoring defense. Herbert’s ceiling is still elite. And now, they’ve quietly added a backup who once had that same label.
If Lance never plays a meaningful snap in 2025, McCarthy’s tip will still have been worth it. But if Harbaugh’s instinct proves right, and Lance’s talent resurfaces under the right coaching?
Then this quiet exchange between two veteran coaches might end up as one of the season’s smartest footnotes.
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