With Los Angeles locked into a wild-card spot, Trey Lance will start at quarterback in the Chargers’ regular-season finale at the Denver Broncos and Justin Herbert will not dress.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh announced that decision Monday, saying that DJ Uiagalelei will be elevated from the practice squad to serve as Lance’s backup.
“The guys that have the most bruises and need the most healing, we’ll pull them back. Justin Herbert would be one,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll see how the rest of the week goes with who all they are. They’ll be some situations where some starters are backups.”
The Broncos (13-3) clinched the AFC West this past week, going two games up on the Chargers (11-5) with one week to go. The Chargers fell to the Houston Texans 20-16 on Saturday.
Los Angeles can wind up as the fifth, sixth or seventh seed in the AFC in some combination with the Buffalo Bills and either the Texans or Jacksonville Jaguars.
“Winning and being healthy, those are our two objectives,” Harbaugh said. “Guys that we think, the doctors, trainers, myself, the organization, that have the most bruises and need that time the most, we’ve decided that’s the direction we’re going.”
Herbert has started all 16 games for the Chargers so far this season, including after he suffered a fracture in his left (non-throwing) hand that required surgery Dec. 1.
Herbert, 27, was named to his second Pro Bowl in his sixth NFL season. He finishes the regular season with 3,727 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and a 66.4 completion percentage. He added a career-high 498 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.
He also took more sacks this year (54) than in any previous season in the league.
Lance, 25, has gotten into three games in relief of Herbert this year and went 7 of 13 for 90 yards. The third overall pick of the 2021 draft by San Francisco, his 49ers tenure was cut short after eight games (2021-22) due to an ankle injury and the emergence of Brock Purdy at quarterback. He served as a reserve QB for the Dallas Cowboys in 2023-24.
