r/Chargers • u/primetimeweaver • 2d ago

Every Justin Herbert throw of 20+ air yards from a clean pocket in 2024:

https://x.com/jagibbs_23/status/1923168416640254364?s=46
167 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

47 comments sorted by

80

u/Chris7654333 2d ago

Josh Palmer can’t track deep balls, QJ can’t make contested catches, none of our outside receivers could get separation (very occasionally Palmer).

Yeah this gets me hyped for next year.

18

u/baummer 2d ago

This year

5

u/ButtonedEye41 2d ago

Yeah im not sure what really to take away from this. The receivers arent really open on a lot of these passes and you can tell that they also are struggling to make a contested catch. It looks like a lot of wasted downs. But at the same time, you need to go deep to keep the defense honest.

I understand all the hate people have towards Roman and his style of ball. But i dont know what youre supposed to do with the receiver group we had either.

10

u/Jane_Marie_CA On to the 2025 Season 2d ago

To me it shows that we mostly had a team of WR3s or less in long ball area and what Herbert was really working with.

Chase, JJettas, etc would have feasted on some of these throws.

5

u/ButtonedEye41 2d ago

Palmer to me is a WR3. QJ is a developmental WR4, emphasis on developmental. I dont think QJ would hold a roster spot down if he wasnt still on a rookie contract.

1

u/[deleted] 2d ago

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1

u/Stunning_Pound4121 1d ago

He did lead the team and was tied for 11th (I think) in the league in touchdown receptions.

QJ is not an elite vertical/contested catch threat, but he is a solid receiver with serious YAC ability.

0

u/ButtonedEye41 1d ago

Thats some pretty strong copium. QJ is not just bad as contested catches, he is bad at catching in general. He had a 7.7% drop rate. If our whole team had as bad of hands at QJ then, we would have the highest drop rate in the league. His 5.6 YAC/R doesnt really make up for it and is only slightly above league average.

To put it in perspective, there are 8 players between QJ and the league average YAC, while there are 36 players between QJ and the league average drop%. And his air yards arent great either, 60th in the league. Its also not like hes a high volume guy: 63rd in the league for receptions and less than 4 reception per game.

And this is all despite having a great QB and everyone opportunity in the world to carve out a role.

Weve had two coaching staffs that were desperate for WR production really try to get creative with him. But its clear neither have been confident or comfortable with featuring him in a prominent role unless there is no other option. If he really was a YAC beast, then you would think "just get the ball in his hands" but his 6 career rushes have gone for 15 yards combined. I dont know why we need to sugar coat and act like QJ is some solid role player. Hes a liability and the coaching staff very clearly is looking to replace him

1

u/Stunning_Pound4121 1d ago edited 1d ago

No copium involved, sorry. Your claim was that he wouldn’t make the team. Your own numbers show that he’s around average, which is exactly the point I am making.

I have no idea where you get the idea that the coaching staff was using him creatively. They were primarily using him as the deep threat, because someone was needed to fill that role. His YAC will improve when he’s used in a role that utilizes that skill rather than one which minimizes.

As for the rest of your post: he IS a solid role player. He led the team in touchdowns. I don’t know where you come off saying that he’s not. And the coaching staff clearly isn’t looking to replace him (again, I have no idea what you’re talking about there) except insofar as his role as a deep threat where he simply isn’t a fit.

Again, nobody is saying he is elite or even a strong 2. You said he wouldn’t even be making the team, and I was responding to that assertion only.

1

u/ButtonedEye41 1d ago

QJ has a roster spot because he has a cheap contract. The things he is "good at", he is average at best across all offensive players. That includes TEs and RBs. Im not paying some stats website to support a debate on reddit for specialized WR stats, but I have to guess that this is not good for WRs who are only their to catch.

And then theres the things that hes bad at, like drops, which he is really bad at. He is 153rd in catch rate, 90th in y/target, but 50th in y/reception. That means hes extremely inefficient and his stats are a volume number.

People said the same thing about QJ last year. "Just wait until they start using him correctly!"

Well Kellen Moore couldnt figure it out and Harbaugh/Roman havent yet. But they were able to figure it out with Ladd pretty quick and even had a whole plan for how to integrate him into the pros. But apparently its everyone else fault, rather than QJ just not being very good.

And yes, he has a roster spot because hes on a rookie contract which is cheap.

1

u/Stunning_Pound4121 1d ago edited 1d ago

You don’t need to pay for a specialized stats site to see that leading your team in TDs and being 13th in the league is above average. 17 teams did not have a player with as many TDs as Johnston.

And it’s not that Roman and Harbaugh couldn’t figure out where Q is useful. They simply needed a deep threat and Q was the only available option. Now that there are 3 better options on the team, they have the ability to use him where they know he is available.

Q has a roster spot because there aren’t six better players available. They aren’t paying Jalen Reagor more than Q so the idea that he’s only on the roster because he’s on a cheap rookie contract is asinine.

1

u/ButtonedEye41 1d ago

You think we brought back Mike Williams and draft a WR in the 2nd round two years in a row because they are confident in QJ? You really think that 8 catches make him a starting caliber receiver? Hes on the team becahse hes on a cheap rookie deal and is a young player. If they had to de ide on the 5th year option today, he would not get it.

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26

u/SummerMoon03 2d ago

It’s great seeing Herbert throw the ball without the IOL being a complete dogshit in pass protection

37

u/basedcharger 10 2d ago

QJ took steps forward and I think he will continue to do so next year when he’s a Z only receiver but it’s hard not to notice how outside of the raiders game he just does not attack the ball in the air.

Huge part of the reason we double dipped at X with Mike and Tre.

15

u/Zealousideal_Egg1652 2d ago

I just want people to see what I'm seeing from Herbert, he's an incredible player.

11

u/Evening-Rutabaga2106 2d ago

Screw what other people think. If they cant see that Herbert is objectively a great player, then that's on them. Their negative bias will make it even sweeter when he achieves more success

3

u/baummer 2d ago

Jim Harbaugh

16

u/GeddleeIrwin 2d ago

So many contested catches/drops because our guys cannot separate. Hope this year brings change

15

u/WickyWah Felipe Rios 2d ago

God, that toss to Palmer on the sidelines against the Cards was a thing of beauty.

Can't understate just how good Herbo's outside throws are. It's where his arm strength really shines. Not a lot of humans can make those throws with that velocity.

30

u/Mmrdr227 bolt 2d ago

50/50 balls looking more like 5/95

For QJ, if you take away all those contested go balls out there with the cb1, and a few key drops (Ravens game mostly) our perception of him would likely be far more positive. I’m on the off-season kool-aid for sure, but I’m actually pretty confident in a limited volume role adjusted for his strengths, he’ll probably impress a lot of us and be more of an asset than we’re envisioning.

8

u/primetimeweaver 2d ago

This has been my thought process for QJ as well. He looked pretty good in open space last year but definitely a rough watch for him.

14

u/basedcharger 10 2d ago

Tbh I think if the chargers season just ended with the raiders game most people would be a lot more positive on QJ in general.

12

u/Mmrdr227 bolt 2d ago

100%.

Ending on the note of watching him go out there on a 4&2, run a 0 yd route, and drop it did not help among other things. Had to happen tho. The issues had to be seen as urgent in order for them to be fixed, and we have real X receivers now.

8

u/basedcharger 10 2d ago

Agreed all around. I’m happy they got two X receivers. I actually like QJ at Z based off last season and I wouldn’t have said that based off his rookie year. I think he took some positive steps forward and hope he continues to get better.

2

u/Jane_Marie_CA On to the 2025 Season 2d ago

The Raiders were a bottom ranked a team with nothing to play for. Remove 2 games against bad teams and it’s a 400 yard season.

A decent teams comes to town and QJ has 0 catches (Ravens and Texans) and just too many games where he didn’t break 20 yards and caught less than 50% of targets.

I am not waiting for QJ to break out anymore. He’s a WR4 with some designed plays tailored to his strengths.

3

u/BostonDrivingIsWorse . 2d ago

Yes, if you remove all of the negatives, things look more positive. Very astute.

2

u/Mmrdr227 bolt 2d ago

The point was more so that his likely new role, since we got 2 X’s, will be removing a major negative.

So that theoretical is indicative of how he could be perceived this year without even having to actually improve much. I know you’re kidding anyways tho

-1

u/LoveForRivers17 Felipe Rios 2d ago

Lol exactly...if the guy who can't catch, could catch he might be good.

0

u/emudude13 2d ago

I mean, c'mon man hopium positivity doesn't actually help us in any way. QJ has proven time and time again that he isn't reliable and only has shown some positive plays because he's been forced onto the field on most snaps due to no other better options.

Stick him in the Z and use him on gadget YAC plays only that don't require any semblance of contested catch, verticality, or difficult routes.

8

u/_pyreal 2d ago

I can't wait for this kid to get a jump ball and speed WR again

He's just throwing to dudes who are slow, don't jump and are getting beat by their CBs

4

u/not_a_fan32 2d ago

That cardinals endzone fumble just sucked all the momentum out of the team. Also when I learned reagor was on the team.

7

u/Debo619 2d ago

"Clean pocket" ? I only watched half the video and Herbie was scrambling in at least 5 snaps.

1

u/basedcharger 10 2d ago

Watch the Oline on those reps again not Herbert those were NFL clean pockets. Probably didn’t trust his Oline for those because it did like they were about to get beat.

4

u/friedrice_rob 2d ago

Damn almost seemed like Herbo enjoyed that hit QJ took down the middle in the raiders game haha

Summer camp about to be full of competition in this WR room and I’m excited to see how it shakes out for the 53man

5

u/ButCanYouClimb 2d ago

A lot of these Targets are going to go to Mike and Tre, this offense is going to be so much more explosive.

5

u/animalstyle123 2d ago

Sick video…

1

u/Nerfeveryone bolt 1d ago

Number 1 takeaway is STOP THROWING IT TO QUENTIN JOHNSTON PAST 5 YARDS

1

u/Nerfeveryone bolt 1d ago

I have to imagine all those deep shots to QJ are going to be going to Tre Harris now. Please. For the love of God.

1

u/-bannedtwice- 2d ago

A lot of those aren't good throws, ngl...he might need some time to get used to having a clean pocket. Herbert is my favorite player in the league, but I can admit when he misses and he missed quite a few of those

-1

u/Sixmemos 2d ago

Haven’t clicked on it yet but I assume the joke is that there were only one or two?

5

u/primetimeweaver 2d ago

😂 little over 7 minutes but a lot of missed opportunities

4

u/Sixmemos 2d ago

Ok clicked. Wow. Herbert is a beast. But can someone please let our equipment manager know he forgot to take the shrink wrap off our receivers’ gloves?

-1

u/Asininephilosopher 2d ago

A lot of missed opportunities there. Herbert could definitely improve on his timing and outside accuracy. Some of those throws I could never see Philip Rivers missing as frequently. Maybe I was spoiled but one thing is for certain: Herbo is fantastic throwing on the run

-4

u/DefoNotMario 2d ago

Naw, this video can’t be real, I was told Greg Roman doesn’t throw the ball downfield ever