The Los Angeles Chargers are not facing doom and gloom following the injury to Justin Herbert that was reported on Thursday, but it could make things much more difficult than they were hoping for this season.
Herbert was reported to have suffered an injury to his plantar fascia, one that will put him in a walking boot for a couple of weeks and likely shut him down for the rest of the preseason. While Chargers fans were able to breathe a sigh of relief when that report also stated that Herbert would be ready for the start of the regular season, some negative aspects to this injury need to be considered.
While it is good news that Herbert seemingly escaped a major injury, there is no doubt that this is a big problem.
Justin Herbert missed much of the 2023 NFL season with an injury
The Chargers will now turn to Easton Stick to be the guy who leads the team for the rest of the preseason. As far as Herbert getting back on the field, it's not just as simple as putting him in a walking boot and letting him simmer until the season kicks off.
The #Chargers announced that QB Justin Herbert was diagnosed with an injury to the plantar fascia in his right foot.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 1, 2024
He’ll be in a boot for two weeks, then gradually work his way back. The team says it is with the expectation that he will be ready for the start of the season.
Anyone who has ever dealt with plantar fasciitis knows how uncomfortable it can be and while Herbert is a world-class athlete with access to terrific trainers and medical personnel, it's not something that just magically goes away. It is something that could easily become a nagging issue well into the regular season.
Perhaps even worse than that is all of the reps that Herbert is going to miss. Some fans would note that he likely would not have played much in the preseason anyway, but the missed reps in camp are going to add up. That becomes a bigger issue when you toss in the fact that the coaching staff is brand new, it's a completely different offense under Greg Roman and he is working with an entirely different crew in the wide receiver room.
This is not ideal and though it's good that it may only require him to miss about a month, that is going to put a noticeable dent in what this team is trying to accomplish.
