Chargers GM Joe Hortiz wasn’t shy talking up Justin Herbert in May, “He’s brilliant, so intelligent… As a guy when I look at Justin—I’ll be honest with you, I hate Justin. He’s got everything… six‑foot‑six, pinpoint accuracy, athletic as can be. He never looks out of breath, he throws the ball through a wall… He’s smart. I hate him.” Close to three months later, that respect is manifesting on the grounds of Chargers training camp. Herbert is not simply following a playbook; he’s forging how the offense thinks. Novices such as Tre Harris, the undrafted Ole Miss pass catcher, are already attributing Herbert’s presence for altering the manner in which they run routes, see openings, and anticipate passes.
Tre Harris has been candid about it. Following practice on Aug 2, he explained Justin Herbert’s presence demands accountability. “He continues to kind of blow my mind… he’s not scared to go into gun single mode and fit it in a tight hole,” Harris said in a press conference. “You might think, ‘Oh, it’s a runoff route—I can ease up.’ But he’s looking for you to win it. Nine times out of ten, he’s putting it right on the money.” It’s unusual leadership from the guy who is quietest in the room.
Herbert’s style is revolutionizing camp chemistry. Harris describes the offense’s simplicity and trust, requiring accuracy and no shortcuts. When your quarterback can read the coverage and get it out sooner than usual, it makes every receiver have to run at top speed. And that created an early advantage for undrafted or late-round players looking to make a name for themselves.
The full-pads configuration delivered indisputable evidence of Herbert’s influence. On first-and-10 from the Chargers’ own 47, Herbert did a fake handoff and threw a dead-on 53-yard deep pass to rookie KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who sprinted past at full stride for a score. It was his second explosive deep bomb of the session, and it elicited a guttural response. Greg Roman, the offensive coordinator charged with restarting the scheme, punched the air in triumph.
That chemistry wasn’t the only show. Throughout camp, Herbert has been completing receivers in stride sooner and faster than anticipated. You see it on the deep posts, you see it on the late-breaking corners, and you see it in the way full-field vision resets the mid-level receivers to produce contested catches.
Herbert unlocks rookie’s potential at Chargers camp
KeAndre Lambert-Smith is still tagged in the fifth round, yet you’d have never known it by observing Chargers camp this weekend. Following his cameo in the Hall of Fame Game with two catches for 43 yards and a score, the Penn State product followed up with a standout Saturday, and once again, it was Herbert making things happen. His initial highlight was in team drills, when he separated defenders on second and 4 and caught a deep pass off play-action. But the second one, the 53-yard touchdown down the middle of the field, sealed the rookie’s arrival.
Credit: IMAGO
Roman made it clear that Lambert-Smith is not a one-speed deep threat either. “He’s really impressed me. He’s gotten a lot better with his route running,” Roman said. It’s not like he’s a one-trick pony, down-the-field guy. There’s still a long way to go, but he’s on that trajectory. That path is being assisted by the presence of Herbert. Some coaches explained how the veteran quarterback has taken the time to assist Lambert-Smith in getting into the right position, to adapt leverage on coverage, and strike accurate breakpoints. Those drills carried over into splash plays during the preseason opener and camp session. It’s the evidence that the rookie is picking up the details, not merely surviving on athleticism.
Special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken also commended Lambert-Smith’s diligence, noting that his involvement has reached field position units, not only in offensive install. “He wants to help this team win in whatever way,” Ficken said. The rookie development continues, but through Saturday, it’s evident the Herbert-to-KLS relationship is more than a camp romance. It’s a working tool that can redefine how this Chargers offense stretches defenses vertically in 2025.
As the team gets ready for Sunday’s padded practice at El Segundo. All eyes are still on Herbert-KLS chemistry and whether it continues to evolve.
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