After starting the 2024 NFL regular season with two wins over the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders and the lowly Carolina Panthers, the Los Angeles Chargers looked like a team that might be a force to be reckoned with under new head coach Jim Harbaugh.
However, star quarterback Justin Herbert has been banged up going back to the NFL offseason, which has only gotten worse over the course of the first three games of the 2024 campaign, as he is now dealing with a high-ankle sprain, resulting in his status for Week 4 against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs being questionable.
With the Chargers’ offense falling flat in Week 3 in the loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles was already in trouble offensively, as Herbert hasn’t thrown for more than 144 passing yards in a game yet.
It was bad enough that Herbert hasn’t exactly been lighting up the scoreboard for the Chargers this season, but now it could get rough for Los Angeles if this becomes a lingering injury, especially with the team facing the defending Super Bowl champions this weekend.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday and gave an update on Herbert’s status.
“Justin Herbert aggravated that high ankle sprain yesterday. It’s gonna be another week of tracking Justin Herbert ahead of a massive divisional game against the Chiefs,” Schefter said.
“Justin Herbert aggravated that high ankle sprain yesterday..
It’s gonna be another week of tracking Justin Herbert ahead of a massive divisional game against the Chiefs” ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/7LwEPMsWZ6
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 23, 2024
If the Chargers have to take the field without Herbert in Week 3, which might be a wise decision to give him some time to heal from the ankle injury, Los Angeles will have to lean on Taylor Heinicke and Easton Stick, who are the other two quarterbacks on the depth chart currently.
Only time will tell if Herbert’s injury will persist, as the outcome of the season depends on his health, as it does for every other team with a star quarterback of his caliber under center.
