T
he regular season is nearly here. One more preseason game remains for the Los Angeles Chargers before they shift focus onto the regular season and getting ready for Week One. But before the Chargers head to São Paulo, Brazil to take on the Kansas City Chiefs, they will travel to the Bay Area to take on the San Francisco 49ers.
But the Chargers will face the 2023 NFC champions without their starters. On Thursday, Aug. 21, head coach Jim Harbaugh announced that all of the team’s starters would sit in the preseason finale, giving roster bubble players and backups the chance to prove themselves one more time before the season starts.
The Chargers’ Plan for the Preseason Finale
The Chargers return to San Francisco is a homecoming game for both Harbaugh and Chargers backup quarterback, Trey Lance. Harbaugh coached the 49ers from 2011-14, guiding the franchise to three NFC championship games and a Super Bowl and coached the team in their first season at Levi’s Stadium. Lance was drafted No. 3 overall by the 49ers in the 2021 draft and spent the first two seasons of his career there. With all of the starters sitting, Lance will start the game against his former team– where he will play with a major chip on his shoulder.
Justin Herbert got his first ever preseason action in the Chargers 23-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last week, getting to play eight snaps. Lance then came in and went 7 of 15 for 121 yards. In this week’s game, Lance will play in one or two series before Taylor Heinicke takes over. After Heinicke, undrafted rookie DJ Uiagalelei will finish the game.
Lance’s Goal for the Game
Lance may be returning to a familiar place with a monkey on his back, but his approach remains the same– continue to improve while helping the Chargers get ready for a strong 2025 campaign.
“Just trying to build on it, build on what we’ve done these first three and come out with the win,” Lance said.
Signing a one-year deal with the Chargers this offseason, Lance needs to capitalize on his opportunity down in Southern California. Expected to be the future in San Francisco, Lance suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2 of the 2022 season, contributing to the emergence of Brock Purdy. With Purdy proving himself as a star, Lance was the odd man out and was traded to the Dallas Cowboys prior to the start of the 2023 regular season. In Dallas, Lance never gained traction, spending a majority of his tenure as the third string quarterback behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush.
Between his tenure with the 49ers and the Cowboys, Lance has completed 81 out of his 143 pass attempts for 1,063 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions in only 12 games played.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Chargers to Sit Starters in Preseason Finale vs. 49ers appeared first on Heavy Sports.