Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert Surprising Teammates Mike Williams, Tyler Conklin At Practice

Herbert is coming off a record-setting season, but the bad taste of another NFL playoff collapse from the Chargers lingers. There’s no better way to forget the past than by working on the present. Herbert and his teammates have now started the process towards redemption.

This time around, Herbert is joined by both new and familiar faces with this iteration of the team. Notably, the Chargers added tight end Tyler Conklin, wide receiver Mike Williams, and running back Najee Harris to aid in Herbert’s development. 

"It's just what he can do on the football field is really special, right? He obviously has the arm and can make every throw on the field, which is crucial. But I think it's also just the athleticism he has, the ability  he has to extend plays. I think he can do a lot of things that just elevate everybody around him. And it's really exciting to be around," Chargers tight end Tyler Conklin said of Herbert.

"Just the past, everything we've done in the past, the amount of plays we made and having fun out there and celebrating with the guys," wide receiver Mike Williams said. "Just excited to do it again and looking forward to it. I feel like we gained a lot of trust in each other over the years and I'm excited just to get back with him, get on the field and starting gaining that connection back and making plays again.”

Herbert has always been known for his work ethic, but it speaks volumes that he’s still on the grind like a rookie. Herbert is incredibly accomplished as a player, one of the highest-paid individuals in NFL history, and quite frankly, could use time away to heal his body. Yet, Herbert is building camaraderie with his teammates and focusing on the bigger picture.

"I think with Justin and all the players, we want to support Justin the best we can," general manager Joe Hortiz said. "That's adding, building around him. You can support him in so many ways and to help him, you can help him with defense, you can help him with offense, offensive line, weapons, everything. That's how I view it. Let's make everyone around Justin better and Justin is going to keep getting better himself,"

With the 2025 NFL Draft less than 48 hours away, Herbert is presumably set to receive further assistance in the form of a high-value pick. The amount of quality players left on the board should the Chargers stay put at pick 22 will be substantial. They’ll need all the help they can get for Herbert and should leave no stone unturned should the opportunity present itself to acquire more assets for the former Oregon quarterback.