NFL OC Says Justin Herbert 'Lets Little Things Distract Him' But Hypes Jim Harbaugh

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert ranked No. 7 overall and was a Tier 2 player in Monday's Quarterback Tiers list from Mike Sando of The Athletic.

Most voters on the list seemed to believe Herbert had the talent to eventually be a Tier 1 quarterback, but a few flaws have kept him from reaching that full potential.

"He's very smart and very competitive, but he lets little things distract him," an offensive coach told Sando. "He needs to forget about the little things. Jim (Harbaugh) will point that out to him and get it right. This will be a big year for him."

"He is just a little bit robotic," a defensive coordinator added. "You can tell, the way he processes everything, it is a click slower than some of the elites, but he is a stud—he is really good."

Another voter wondered if Harbaugh's run-heavy offensive scheme has stifled Herbert's upside.

"He is probably like Joe Burrow lite," that voter said. "Good player, can make all the throws, can decipher and operate. If they had more around him and he kept maturing, maybe there is some more there."

Herbert threw for 3,870 yards, 23 touchdowns and just three interceptions in 2024, completing 65.9 percent of his passes. But his 504 attempts were the second-lowest of his career (his lowest mark came in 2023, when he missed four games), and he wasn't exactly flush with elite receiving options. Herbert's talent is clear, but he still isn't quite considered one of the truly elite quarterbacks in the sport.