Trey Lance is still the favorite to enter the season as the Chargers’ QB2, but DJ Uiagalelei is making the competition more interesting. If Lance struggles this preseason, Uiagalelei could put serious pressure on him for the backup job.
Trey Lance entered training camp as the clear favorite to be Justin Herbert’s backup, but it is becoming harder to ignore the quarterback standing behind him.
The Los Angeles Chargers have spent much of the offseason giving Lance the inside track at the QB2 job. He was solid during the spring and has continued to receive plenty of opportunities with the second-team offense. The Chargers even listed Lance behind Herbert on their first unofficial depth chart heading into the preseason.
For now, there is little reason to believe Lance has actually lost his grip on the job. In fact, he earned the start in Thursday’s preseason opener against the Houston Texans, giving him important reps to continue his battle for the backup quarterback position.
But Uiagalelei is making this much more interesting than it looked a few months ago.
The Chargers liked what they saw from Uiagalelei during the offseason. The team specifically noted that he looked particularly sharp during spring practices while taking on an increased workload. That performance was enough to raise the possibility that he could challenge Lance for the backup job once training camp and the preseason arrived.
That challenge appears to be legitimate.
Uiagalelei has already been through an entire season in the Chargers’ system after joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2025. He spent last season on the practice squad before signing a futures contract in January, giving him additional familiarity with the organization and its expectations.
Lance obviously has the much bigger NFL résumé. He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and has more experience in the league. The Chargers also clearly believe there is still something worth developing with him. Justin Herbert recently offered his own justification for the team’s continued confidence in Lance, which is another positive sign for the veteran quarterback.
Still, experience alone won’t guarantee Lance the job.
The preseason is where this battle could really become interesting. Lance got the first opportunity to show what he can do against Houston, while Uiagalelei will have his own chances to prove that the gap between the two quarterbacks isn’t as large as their experience would suggest.
The Chargers don’t need a superstar behind Herbert. They need someone they can trust if Herbert ever has to miss time. That means decision-making, consistency and command of the offense could matter just as much as arm talent.
Right now, Lance should still be considered the favorite to enter the season as QB2. But Uiagalelei has put himself in position to make this a real competition.
If Lance plays well this preseason, he should be able to hold onto the job. If he struggles, however, the Chargers may have a very difficult decision to make.
For the first time, it feels like QB2 isn’t simply Lance’s job to lose. Uiagalelei is coming for it.
