A quarterback competition was never supposed to be part of the Chargers’ summer story, but here they are anyway, with Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei still fighting for position behind Justin Herbert.
What looked like a settled setup has turned messy fast, and the shift has a lot to do with the arrival of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. Now Los Angeles is staring at what appears to be one of only two backup quarterback jobs on the final roster, and neither Lance nor Uiagalelei has been able to separate.
Jim Harbaugh didn’t try to oversell it when he spoke with reporters around the second preseason game.
"I think it's tight," Harbaugh said. "I don't have a definitive status on it right now."
The preseason has offered mixed evidence. Lance had a rough opening act in Week 1, tossing an interception and putting a few other turnover-prone throws on tape. Uiagalelei came in and looked cleaner, going 6-of-9 for 120 yards and a touchdown in the win.
Week 2 brought another split picture. Lance played 29 snaps in a lopsided loss, completing 10 of 16 passes for 73 yards while also leading the team on the ground with 42 rushing yards on two carries. Uiagalelei followed and finished 7-of-15 for 80 yards and a touchdown.
There’s some semantics to sort through here. Lance has been listed as the No. 2 throughout camp, while Uiagalelei has been getting his chances against backups and deeper reserves in preseason play. But Harbaugh’s “tight” comment says plenty, and McDaniel’s role adds another layer of uncertainty to the decision.
The offensive context hasn’t helped either. The interior of the line has been in rough shape since the injury to Tyler Biadasz, and the apparent handling of the guard spots hasn’t made life any easier. Herbert’s offense has also been getting pushed around by the defense in camp, which makes it harder to judge who should be first in line if the starter goes down.
That leaves the preseason finale with real weight for both quarterbacks. Until then, the uneven race keeps dragging on, in an offense that still hasn’t settled one guard spot and is now trying to sort out a backup quarterback battle that once looked like one of the team’s biggest strengths.
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Chargers Suddenly Have A Real Question Behind Omarion Hampton
The Chargers got a closer look at their running back depth in their second preseason game against the 49ers, and it was hard to come away feeling settled about the group behind Omarion Hampton. Hampton is expected to lead the backfield, but the competition for backup roles has not separated itself yet, and the reserves did not do much on the ground to make the decision easier.
Preseason results do not decide a roster battle on their own, and one quiet night is hardly a final verdict. Still, the Chargers are heading toward a familiar August task with a little more urgency than they probably wanted, because the offense needs at least one reliable answer behind Hampton before the regular season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Suddenly Face A Left Guard Battle At The Worst Time
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Mike McDaniel added another layer to the mix by addressing the starting left guard spot, where Kayode Awosika appears to have the edge but Trey Pipkins has also gotten first-team work. The timing is tricky, especially with several players sidelined by injuries, including running back Keaton Mitchell and lineman Branson Taylor, leaving the Chargers to sort out both depth and roles when they can least afford uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos May Have A New Defensive Name Worth Watching
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From a Chargers perspective, it is the kind of development that matters because the division keeps churning out pieces on defense, and Robinson is starting to sound like one of the more intriguing ones in Denver. The AFC West has also featured other camp notes, including Teair Tarts growing presence for the Chargers and Kayode Awosika appearing to have the edge in Miamis left guard battle, but Robinsons trajectory is the one that could matter most if his progress keeps pointing upward. [Read more 🡒]