EL SEGUNDO — Quarterback Justin Herbert and wide receiver Keenan Allen will be among the starters who will play in the Chargers’ exhibition game Saturday against the Rams at SoFi Stadium, coach Jim Harbaugh said Thursday. Safety Derwin James Jr. and outside linebacker Khalil Mack will not.
It will be Herbert’s first exhibition game since the Chargers drafted him in the first round after a stellar career at the University of Oregon. The preseason in 2020 was cancelled because of COVID-19 and Herbert didn’t play during Brandon Staley’s three seasons as coach (2021-23).
Last season, Harbaugh’s first with the Chargers, Herbert sat out the bulk of training camp because of a plantar fascia injury that forced him to wear a walking boot for two weeks. Herbert was sound enough to play in the Chargers’ season-opening victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Don’t expect to see a great deal of Herbert on Saturday, though.
Or Allen. Or wide receiver Ladd McConkey. Or members of the offensive line.
The same goes for the Chargers’ defense with the exception of James and Mack.
“It’ll be a series or it could be two,” Harbaugh said of Herbert’s participation.
Why play Herbert or Allen or any of the starters in a meaningless exhibition and risk injury?
“They want the first series of the season not to be the first series of the season,” Harbaugh said.
So, why hold back James and Mack?
“I know they’re ready,” Harbaugh said of the Chargers’ two defensive pillars. “I know they’ll be ready. I remember when ‘K-Mack’ got traded to the Bears (from the Raiders on Sept. 1, 2018) and didn’t practice at all and had a pick-six and a couple of sacks (in the opener). I know they’re good and ready to go.
“Offensively, there’s timing and execution acquired for all 11, who have to be on the same page. They’ll have done it with that drive (to start the game against the Rams). Some plays will be beneficial. I would have done it last week (against the New Orleans Saints), but some things were out of alignment.”
The Chargers got a jump on the rest of the NFL, starting training camp July 17 in preparation for facing the Detroit Lions in the Hall of Fame Game on July 31 in Canton, Ohio. Their practice Thursday was their 20th of camp, with four more to go next week, plus two exhibition games to play.
In addition to facing the Rams on Saturday, the Chargers also pay a visit to the San Francisco 49ers for their preseason finale Aug. 23 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Opening day is Sept. 5, when the Chargers travel to Sao Paulo, Brazil, to face their AFC West rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs.
More to come on this story.
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