Chargers largely at fault for Justin Herbert's questionable clutch gene

For all of the criticism Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has absorbed over the last couple of years, people tend to forget that he hasn't exactly had a bevy of weapons at his disposal. More specifically, Herbert's receiving corps were very barren in 2024.

How bad was it for Herbert, you ask? Well, Warren Sharp of Sharp Football revealed a brutal stat displaying just how bad the Chargers' wide receivers were last season, particularly in the fourth quarter, and our own Chris Roling touched on it earlier this week.

Basically, half of Herbert's throws in the fourth quarter of losses were being wasted last year, which makes Los Angeles' offseason decisions that much more head-scratching.

Why did the Chargers not go out and get Herbert some more proven veteran help instead of almost exclusively relying on the NFL draft to land some receivers?

Quentin Johnston has obviously not gotten the job done so far, and all of his numbers line up with the "bust" label that has been bestowed upon him over his first couple of seasons in the league.

Joshua Palmer is no longer in LA, as the 25-year-old signed with the Buffalo Bills in free agency, but all the Chargers did this offseason in terms of bringing in established pass-catchers was add Mike Williams, who of course spent the first seven years of his career in Los Angeles before taking a one-year detour in 2024.

Herbert has long been lambasted for his inability to deliver in clutch situations, and to be perfectly honest, there may be some truth to that over his first five NFL campaigns. But no one can realistically look at the help he had in 2024 and pin the Bolts' lackluster passing attack solely on him.

Over the last several months, the Chargers have had the opportunity to swing trades for star receivers like D.K. Metcalf and George Pickens, and they passed. They didn't even make much of an effort to go out and get anyone else.

Right now, Los Angeles is pinning its hopes on rookies Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith, which puts that much more pressure on Herbert to deliver.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. — Jan 11, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) jogs off the field during the game against the Houston Texans in an AFC wild card game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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