In case there was any hint of doubt about the quarterback position, Los Angeles Chargers coach Anthony Lynn eliminated it Wednesday morning.
“Tyrod Taylor is our starter right now,” Lynn said. “Until someone steps up and shows that they can run this team, that’s [how] we’re going into it.”
That “someone” is Justin Herbert, drafted sixth overall out of Oregon earlier this year. The Chargers have praised Herbert’s development throughout training camp but had always planned on giving him time to develop while Taylor initially took over as the starting quarterback.
The limited offseason program and the elimination of preseason games because of the coronavirus pandemic only made it more likely that Herbert, 22, would sit for the start of the season.
Taylor, 31, started 43 games for the Buffalo Bills from 2015 to 2017, throwing for 8,857 yards with 51 touchdowns and 16 interceptions while also running for 1,575 yards. Taylor might be a better deep-ball thrower than former Chargers starter Philip Rivers at this point in their respective careers and will bring more versatility with his ability to make plays off script. But Taylor hasn’t started an NFL game since Week 3 of the 2018 season.