HC Jim Harbaugh, LAC (1 Viewer)

[Marauder]

People point to his 2021 season as a comparison, but there is no way a Harbaugh offense has that kind of volume. Herbert dropped back 674 times that year. Last year? 504.

These numbers you cite are passing attempts but you called them dropbacks.

Per PFF, regular season only:

• 2024:
  • Chargers QBs had 591 dropbacks - Herbert 581, Heinicke 10
  • Herbert's 581 dropbacks resulted in 504 pass attempts, 41 sacks, and 31 scrambles; that only adds up to 576, not sure what happened with the other 5
• 2021:
  • Chargers QBs had 740 dropbacks - all Herbert
  • Herbert's 740 dropbacks resulted in 672 pass attempts, 31 sacks, and 36 scrambles; that only adds up to 739, not sure what happened with the other one

Doesn't change your point, but thought the actual data might be of interest to someone.

Fumbles?

 

[Tau837]

People point to his 2021 season as a comparison, but there is no way a Harbaugh offense has that kind of volume. Herbert dropped back 674 times that year. Last year? 504.

These numbers you cite are passing attempts but you called them dropbacks.

Per PFF, regular season only:

• 2024:
  • Chargers QBs had 591 dropbacks - Herbert 581, Heinicke 10
  • Herbert's 581 dropbacks resulted in 504 pass attempts, 41 sacks, and 31 scrambles; that only adds up to 576, not sure what happened with the other 5
• 2021:
  • Chargers QBs had 740 dropbacks - all Herbert
  • Herbert's 740 dropbacks resulted in 672 pass attempts, 31 sacks, and 36 scrambles; that only adds up to 739, not sure what happened with the other one

Doesn't change your point, but thought the actual data might be of interest to someone.

Fumbles?

Fumbles would either be sacks or rushing attempts.

 

[leevancleef]

People are also forgetting how terrible Herberts receivers were...

The Chargers ranked 5th in the league in dropped passes (33) last season.

Heading into week 16, Herbert was 2nd ranked QB with 7% dropped passes.

This followed them into the wild card game, which saw the worst reception % of a playoff team since 2000. So, 4000+ yards is definitely possible if they can minimize the drops, which in turn will lead to sustained drives and that should hopefully provide more TDs.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

I like Herbert as a QB, but in doing projections myself, he just doesn't end up much higher than 16-18 for me. Harbaugh has always led a slow paced offense, even in SF, and the volume is just not there to support anything more for Herbert.

FYI, giving Herbert 3,800 yards and 42 TDs as posted above makes him QB5 in my rankings. But those projections are not realistic at all IMO. People point to his 2021 season as a comparison, but there is no way a Harbaugh offense has that kind of volume. Herbert dropped back 674 times that year. Last year? 504.

He was QB11 in my SF league where I rostered him last year, and he has several new weapons. Williams is back, they drafted a WR, and Hampton could be a very decent dump-off option. Plus Ladd in his 2nd season could take another step. And they added Conklin & a solid rookie TE prospect - that’s a lot of help.

And Herbert chips in with the occasional rush & RuTD.

I’m pretty optimistic that with the improved OL + new weapons, Herbert will pretty easily be a top 10 QB.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

People are also forgetting how terrible Herberts receivers were...

The Chargers ranked 5th in the league in dropped passes (33) last season.

Heading into week 16, Herbert was 2nd ranked QB with 7% dropped passes.

This followed them into the wild card game, which saw the worst reception % of a playoff team since 2000. So, 4000+ yards is definitely possible if they can minimize the drops, which in turn will lead to sustained drives and that should hopefully provide more TDs.

This is a great point as well. QJ has been pretty bad, and overall the team struggled with drops. Some were drive-killers.