The Los Angeles Chargers boast one of the NFL’s most talented quarterbacks in Justin Herbert, widely regarded as one of the league’s top passers. However, despite his impressive skill set, Herbert has struggled to deliver wins in the postseason.
This past season, the Chargers fell to the Houston Texans in the wild-card round, with Herbert enduring his worst performance of the year—throwing for 242 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions. In his five seasons with Los Angeles, he has yet to secure a playoff victory, holding an 0-2 postseason record with a 60.7 passer rating, 515 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions.
While Herbert’s playoff struggles are concerning, they are not entirely his fault. The Chargers have undergone multiple coaching and coordinator changes during his tenure, impacting stability and consistency. There is optimism that newly hired head coach Jim Harbaugh can finally push the Chargers to playoff success, but is Herbert the right quarterback to lead them there? The answer is likely ‘yes,’ but that doesn’t mean the team shouldn’t explore ways to further improve at the position moving forward.
According to a new mock draft by The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, the Los Angeles Chargers are projected to select Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke in the sixth round of April’s draft. Rourke made a significant impact at Indiana in 2024 after transferring from Ohio, leading the Hoosiers to an 11-2 record and a College Football Playoff appearance. He finished the season with 3,042 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and just five interceptions.
Rourke wouldn’t pose an immediate threat to Justin Herbert’s starting job, but he offers intriguing upside as a developmental backup. Popper noted that Rourke played the entire season on a re-torn ACL that required surgery in January, yet still displayed strong anticipation and decision-making, making him a worthy late-round flier.
Herbert remains under contract with the Chargers through 2029, but if his postseason struggles continue, the team could eventually consider other options. In such a scenario, having a young, promising quarterback like Rourke already in the system could be beneficial.