Are the Chargers taking Justin Herbert for granted? After another season of constant pressure and minimal O-line upgrades, it’s fair to question whether they’re doing enough to protect their franchise QB—or wasting his prime.
At some point, toughness stops being a compliment and starts becoming a warning sign. That’s where things feel like they are with Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers right now.
There’s no question Herbert is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league. Even in a chaotic 2025 season, he still threw for 3,727 yards and 26 touchdowns. But if you actually watched the games, the numbers only tell part of the story. What stood out more than anything was how often he was under siege.
And not just occasionally—constantly.
Herbert took 54 sacks last season, one of the highest totals in the NFL, and absorbed 75 quarterback hits. Even more alarming, he faced roughly 290 total pressures—more than any quarterback in the league. That’s not just a bad offensive line. That’s a systemic failure to protect your franchise player.
It gets worse when you dig deeper. The Chargers ranked dead last in pass block win rate, and the offensive line gave up around 250 total pressures as a unit. At one point, Herbert had a pressure rate north of 43%, one of the highest ever recorded in the Next Gen Stats era.
Let that sink in—nearly half the time he dropped back, the pocket was collapsing.
And yet, the Chargers went into the offseason with cap space and a very clear need: fix the interior offensive line. What did they actually do? They addressed center—but left the guard situation largely untouched.
That’s where the frustration really kicks in.
You can argue about scheme, play-calling or even Herbert’s turnovers (he had 15 total in 2025), but it’s hard to ignore the obvious. When your quarterback is under that kind of pressure, mistakes are going to happen. No one thrives when they’re getting hit that often.
And this is where the idea of taking Herbert for granted starts to feel real.
The Chargers seem to be operating under the assumption that Herbert will just figure it out. That he’ll continue to mask deficiencies, extend plays and carry the offense no matter what’s happening around him. To his credit, he usually does. But that doesn’t mean it’s sustainable.
We’ve already seen the physical toll. He’s dealt with injuries, including a broken hand, while continuing to take hits week after week. That’s not a long-term formula for success—it’s a fast track to shortening a quarterback’s prime.
What makes it even more puzzling is how obvious the solution is. You don’t need to reinvent the roster. You just need to invest—seriously invest—in protecting your quarterback. Interior pressure is the quickest way to wreck an offense, and right now, the Chargers are letting it happen far too often.
Bringing in someone like Cole Strange doesn’t move the needle enough. If anything, it feels like a half-measure for a full-blown problem.
At the end of the day, franchises spend decades searching for a quarterback like Justin Herbert. The Chargers already have one. The real question is whether they’re doing enough to keep him upright—and maximize what should be a Super Bowl window.
Because if this continues, it won’t just be about missed opportunities.
It’ll be about wasting one of the best quarterbacks this franchise has ever had.