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Lindsey ThiryESPN
LOS ANGELES — Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert saw the reported numbers on Lamar Jackson‘s five-year, $260 million deal with the Ravens that includes $185 million guaranteed.
But if Herbert, who along with Bengals star Joe Burrow is the next franchise quarterback in line for a lucrative extension, felt any excitement about Jackson’s deal, he certainly played it cool Thursday just three hours after news broke of the record-setting contract.
“That’s always part of the process of just being out there and looking around [at] what happens,” Herbert said at the Chargers’ NFL draft party. “I’m just worried about playing football and doing my best to rehab my shoulder.”
Chargers coach Brandon Staley said last month at the NFL meetings that the organization had entered negotiations with Herbert’s representation on a long-term extension and expressed optimism that a deal would be reached.
Herbert, however, provided little update on any progress.
“I’m kind of left out of those negotiations, and I think my job now, my focus is to be the best quarterback that I can be and to rehab my shoulder,” said Herbert, who added that he has no timeline for a deal to be completed. “I’ve got complete faith in the Chargers organization and the front office. They’ve done such a great job of taking care of us as players, and I’ve loved to be a part of this team, being a part of this organization, and it’s kind of beyond my control of as to what happens now. I’m just doing everything I can that I can control.”
Herbert, 25, underwent surgery on his left shoulder last January to repair a torn labrum, which he suffered in a Week 17 victory over the Rams. He played through the injury in a Week 18 loss to the Broncos and in a divisional playoff loss to the Jaguars.
Herbert, however, has not thrown a football since the surgery and approximated that his shoulder was 75% recovered.
“It’s a pretty long process,” he said of rehabilitation. “Kind of expecting it to be a five- or six-month recovery and being on the lead shoulder, it’s kind of tough throwing and golfing and doing all those things that are kind of explosive movements.”
Herbert said he would work toward throwing “in the next couple of weeks” as the Chargers progress through the offseason program, which includes learning the new offense installed by coordinator Kellen Moore.
“The great thing about football is it’s all kind of the same conceptually, the verbiage, the words for the calls, they might be different but that’s not too hard and you’re able to pick that up pretty quickly,” Herbert said of Moore’s system. “So just being able to meet with him, talk with him, kind of understand what he’s wanting from the offense, what he sees for it. I think it’s been great.”
