Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert continues to climb among NFL circles as one of the best players at his position.
Herbert finished seventh among quarterbacks in ESPN’s ranking of the group, which polled “more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players” in their 2022 season preview. The list was put together this week by NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler.
While Herbert ranked well in the standings, some in the league believe he should’ve been higher and will finish higher soon.
From the story:
“In December, when Herbert rolled deep to his right and calmly heaved a deep ball that traveled 61.2 air yards (per NFL Next Gen Stats) across the field for a Jalen Guyton touchdown against the Bengals, I texted a screenshot of the play to a high-ranking NFL source.
“You’ll become less and less surprised as the game goes,” the source said. “He’ll be the best QB in the game.”
Herbert was ranked ninth on the list last year.
In June, Fowler reported insight from NFL executives that said they expect Herbert to be one of the top three quarterbacks by the end of this season.
The praise for Herbert is continuing to pour in after a historic first two seasons in the NFL. Herbert is coming off a sophomore year that resulted in him starting for the AFC in the Pro Bowl. He threw for 5,014 yards and 38 touchdowns — breaking Philip Rivers’ franchise record — for the Chargers last season.
That came after winning Rookie of the Year in 2020 when he threw for 4,336 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
The only hiccup in Herbert’s NFL career has been that the Chargers haven’t made the playoffs with him under center, which says more about the Chargers’ struggles than his performance. That can definitely change in 2022, as the Chargers revamped their defense and surrounded Herbert with more tools on offense.
– Aron Yohannes