EL SEGUNDO — Two days after the fact, quarterback Trey Lance’s opinion of his play in the Chargers’ 34-7 rout of the Detroit Lions on Thursday night in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, didn’t change one bit Saturday. He sure wasn’t buying into the glowing postgame reviews of others.
“Some good, some bad, always,” Lance said after Saturday’s practice.
He pointed out that he misfired on a handful of fade routes in the end zone.
Forgive him if he downplayed his showing against the Lions and, indeed, his performance so far in training camp, in general. He completed 13 of 20 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns in three poised quarters of play against the Lions, stating his case to become Justin Herbert’s backup.
On the field, anyway. Off of it, well, that was another story.
“I don’t really ride the wave anymore,” Lance said, explaining how he tries to keep his emotions in check at the ripe old age of 25. “Been through a lot my first four years, just learned a lot, learned a lot about myself and how to handle different situations, and who I want to be and how I want to be.”
It’s been a bumpy road so far. He was the third overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 and seemed destined for greatness until injuries derailed his career. He spent two seasons with the 49ers, sat out all of 2023 and then played limited snaps last season with the Dallas Cowboys.
The Chargers are his third team in five years. They signed him to a one-year contract during the offseason and promised him nothing. He would have to unseat veteran Taylor Heinicke, Herbert’s backup last season, if he hoped to have a greater role for the 2025 season.
In the end, the Chargers proved to be a comfortable landing spot as Lance sought to continue his NFL career. To be sure, it was probably too much to ask Lance to beat out Herbert for the starter’s job, but it was worth a try, and if he played well enough, then he certainly could serve as his backup.
“It’s a great place to be,” Lance said. “Guys are joyful. Guys love it. Coaching staff, players, assistants, everything. It’s just a fun place to play. It’s been great to learn from Justin. I think we see the game very similarly. We play the game similarly. It’s been great just to spend time around him.”
At times in the game against the Lions, it was difficult to know who was at quarterback for the Chargers. Was that Herbert tossing darts for touchdown passes to tight end Will Dissly and wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith? Or was that Lance showing poise and precision?
It was Lance. Herbert didn’t suit up, watching from the sideline.
Up in the pressbox, Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman was impressed.
“Trey did a really good job,” Roman said. “Winning football. He played winning football. Really can’t point to anything that was detrimental to the team. Did a lot of really good things for the team. It was a good start for him. He hasn’t had a ton of playing experience throughout his career.
“So, that was a really big opportunity for him. He really put us in a position to be successful, which is a quarterback’s job. Before the game, he was really poised, really calm, just excited to go out there and execute. He’s a guy who is really diligent with his preparation and whatnot.”
EXTRA POINTS
Running back Najee Harris walked several laps around the Chargers’ three practice fields while his teammates went through their practice. He wore a weighted vest over his uniform and a protective visor with his helmet to shield an eye injured during a July 4 fireworks accident at his home in Antioch. …
Wide receiver Ladd McConkey and right guard Mekhi Becton sat out of practice because of injuries that Roman described as “something extremely minor.” McConkey ran a series of sprints along the sideline under the watchful gaze of a member of the Chargers’ athletic training staff. …
Keenan Allen, a free agent wide receiver who spent 11 of his 12 seasons in the NFL with the Chargers, visited the team’s headquarters Friday, but had yet to sign a contract as of Saturday evening. The Chargers traded Allen last year to the Chicago Bears in a cost-saving move.