Chargers coach Brandon Staley has praised backup quarterbacks Chase Daniel and Easton Stick throughout training camp, making it difficult for reporters to predict whether the team will keep two or three quarterbacks for the 53-man roster.
It might be wise for the Chargers to keep two backups for Justin Herbert in case COVID-19-related circumstances emerge during the regular season. Last year, the Denver Broncos were forced to start a wide receiver at quarterback because their four quarterbacks were on the COVID-19 reserve list.
Having quarterback insurance nowadays is vital, but the Chargers have other positional needs to address and there might not be a roster spot available for a third quarterback when cutdown day arrives Tuesday.
The battle for the Chargers’ No. 2 quarterback will likely come down to Saturday night’s preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks. Daniel will start the road matchup and Stick will take over in the second half, according to Staley.
Perhaps Daniel has a slight lead over Stick because he will end the preseason with two starts compared to Stick’s one. But Stick has outplayed Daniel in the two prior preseason games when it comes to the stat sheet.
Stick has made impressive throws without committing turnovers in his preseason performances. That wasn’t the case at the beginning of training camp, when Stick was inconsistent with his accuracy.
“A lot of those second reaction plays, they don’t necessarily show up in practice because it’s like someone came, free play is over, so then we blow it dead,” Charges offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said about why Stick has played better in preseason games compared to practices. “In real life, it’s not done until you get tackled.”
Stick, the Chargers’ 2019 fifth-round pick, has the athleticism to extend plays for his playmakers and to move the chains with his legs.
Daniel doesn’t have that advantage, but he has 13 years of NFL experience and is familiar with Lombardi’s offense from their years together with the New Orleans Saints.
“Being able to get mental reps,” Lombardi said when asked what makes a good backup quarterback. “Especially as the season starts, they get even less reps than they do during training camp. Being able to be ready if their number is called without having those physical reps. A lot of it is visualization, staying after practice, walking through the script, getting the plays maybe he didn’t get. Working with the younger receivers on your timing. It is really a mental game for those guys.”
Daniel, 34, has displayed that mental aspect and that’s why he’s made more than $37 million in NFL career earnings as a backup quarterback for six teams.
“I take every year as a competition,” Daniel said about competing for the Chargers’ No. 2 job. “I feel like I always have the mentality of competing for a spot, that chip on my shoulder. I was undrafted 12 years ago. This is my 13th year and I feel like I still have stuff to prove. For me, this competition is no different. I just go out there and try to play the best football I can. I try to put the team in the best position to succeed when I’m out there.”
If Daniel is released by the Chargers, another team will likely pounce for his services. The Chargers probably have a better chance of stashing Stick on their practice squad if they decide to release him, but perhaps a team develops interest in his athleticism and improvements as a passer.
These are the types of tough decisions the Chargers will be faced before Tuesday’s 1 p.m. deadline to trim the roster to 53 players.
Daniel or Stick can make it easier on the Chargers by standing out in Seattle. If both perform well, then it’s a good problem to have for the Chargers when deciding on two or three quarterbacks.
“Just proud of the way that both guys have handled this entire training camp, the entire offseason,” Staley said. “I think that they’ve truly made each other better. Like I’ve mentioned before, we’re really fortunate that we have both guys.”
CHARGERS VS. SEAHAWKS
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Lumen Field, Seattle
TV/Radio: CBS (Ch. 2); 98.7 FM; 105.5 FM/94.3 FM (Spanish)
Line: Seahawks by 5½
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