The Los Angeles Chargers have their quarterback position accounted for heading into the 2025 campaign. Justin Herbert has proven to be one of the best passers in the game, and he is clearly the team’s quarterback of the present and the future. The competition for the backup quarterback job between Taylor Heinicke and Trey Lance, however, has heated up significantly as of late.
Entering training camp, it didn’t seem like there would be much of a battle. Heinicke is a veteran passer who has held his own in the NFL before, while Lance has never managed to find his footing after getting selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. After a pair of strong preseason outings, though, Lance is playing so well that the Chargers may have to consider trading Heinicke.
Trey Lance, Taylor Heinicke Competition is Heating Up
Heinicke acted as Herbert’s backup under center in 2024, but he wasn’t called on to play much. The former Washington Commanders starter appeared in four games, completing just three of his five pass attempts for 28 yards. However, his familiarity with the team’s offense and his experience in the league gave him a real leg-up on Lance in this competition.
In only two preseason games, though, Lance has managed to make things interesting at the very least. In the Hall of Fame Game against the Detroit Lions, Lance threw for 120 yards and a pair of scores, leading Los Angeles to a resounding victory. Against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Lance wasn’t as effective in the air, as he only completed seven of his 14 pass attempts for 55 yards, but he added 48 yards and a touchdown on seven rushing attempts.
Heinicke, meanwhile, did not look good in his first preseason action. He admittedly didn’t play as much as Lance, but he completed just one of his five pass attempts for eight yards while also taking a sack. Simply put, Lance looked better than Heinicke, and he appears to be making up some serious ground in the backup quarterback competition as training camp rolls forward.
What Should Chargers Do with Trey Lance, Taylor Heinicke?
GettyHead coach Jim Harbaugh and Trey Lance #5 of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrate a 15-yard touchdown pass.
The better Lance plays, the more difficult a decision this becomes for the Chargers. Heinicke has proven to be a solid backup quarterback, but his potential is nowhere near Lance’s. Should Los Angeles take a chance on Lance and keep him in town, in hopes they could develop him into a shiny trade chip in the future? Or should they bank on the sure thing, Heinicke, and potentially look to stash Lance on their practice squad?
Trading Heinicke has to be considered at this point, as several teams would likely be interested in acquiring him to be their backup. Not many other teams have a potential backup option that has a ceiling as high as Lance’s, though. Los Angeles has time to figure out what they want to do here, but Lance is making a serious push to steal Heinicke’s job from right out underneath him.
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