Los Angeles Chargers 90-Man Roster Spotlights: Trey Lance

Trey Lance, the recently turned 26-year-old quarterback, is currently placed as the Chargers' backup QB behind Justin Herbert, a role he earned in the preseason of 2025. He is expected to return as such in 2026, with many fans hoping they only see him play in Week 18 after the Chargers have playoff seeding wrapped up, as his presence on the field would mean Herbert is injured.

Chargers QB Trey Lance Roster Info, Background

Lance was drafted No. 3 overall by the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, as Kyle Shanahan's biggest project to make his offense hit new heights. Lance was known as an athletic QB with tools that could make him the best in the league, but those tools were unfortunately out of reach for even Shanahan to grab and make happen in the NFL.

The main knock on Lance was his inexperience playing football, with only one year of collegiate experience, with that experience at an FCS school, North Dakota State. At only 20 years of age, he declared for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Unfortunately for Lance, his NFL career was riddled with injuries, disallowing him to gain the much-needed experience to develop his talents. Eventually, 2022's Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy, took his spot as the starter in San Francisco.

Lance found himself with the Dallas Cowboys for a year as a backup, eventually being let go of and signing with the Chargers before the 2025 season. He battled with Taylor Heinicke for the backup job in the 2025 preseason, winning the job in impressive fashion. He is now expected to spend 2026 in the same role.

2025 Season Stats 

4 Games (1 Start)
226 Passing Yards
0 Touchdowns
1 Interception
47.4% Completion Percentage
85 Rushing Yards
5 Yards Per Attempt

Measurables 

Contract Status 

"Trey Lance signed a 1 year, $2,500,000 contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, including $800,000 signing bonus, $2,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $2,500,000. In 2026, Lance will earn a base salary of $1,700,000 and a signing bonus of $800,000, while carrying a cap hit of $2,500,000 and a dead cap value of $2,000,000." - Spotrac

Justin Herbert's 2026 Season Outlook

Going into 2026, as mentioned before, Lance is expected to serve as the backup to Herbert. The young QB is still only 26 and developing his tools with Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel. If Lance shows more promise in the preseason and stints in the regular season, teams are likely to take a chance on him, as being drafted Top 5 as a QB is a status that never goes away in the league's decision making leaders.