LOS ANGELES _ After three eye-opening weeks of production, Justin Herbert will officially take over as the Chargers' starting quarterback, coach Anthony Lynn announced Thursday.
The rookie will remain in the No. 1 spot even as veteran Tyrod Taylor returns from injury.
"I want to see more of him," Lynn said of Herbert, the No. 6 overall pick. "It's not going to be a situation where (Taylor is) looking over his shoulder. He's our starting quarterback. He makes a bad play, has a bad game, he's our quarterback, OK?"
Taylor entered the season as the starter and was expected to keep the job while the Chargers groomed Herbert to eventually take over. That plan, however, changed after Taylor was knocked out of the Chargers' Week 2 game against Kansas City because of a medical accident.
He suffered a punctured lung when a member of the team's medical staff attempted to administer an injection for a rib injury Taylor had suffered early in the season opener.
The NFL Players Association is investigating the incident.
With Taylor suddenly unavailable, Herbert started and finished 22 of 33 for 311 yards and a touchdown as the Chargers pushed the Chiefs into overtime before losing.
Though the Chargers are 0-3 in Herbert's starts, the rookie has completed 72% of his passes, is averaging 310 yards per game and has thrown for five touchdowns with three interceptions. Lynn still had insisted Taylor would not lose his starting job to injury, however.
"After three weeks of watching Justin ... this is why we brought him here, to be our franchise quarterback," Lynn said. "And I just feel like it's time now."
The Chargers will play at New Orleans on Monday night, putting Herbert on a national television stage in his first start as the team's official No. 1 quarterback.
For Taylor, the circumstances are familiar. He was the starter in Cleveland in 2018 before suffering a concussion in Week 3 and being replaced by No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield.
"He's a competitor, man," Lynn said. "No, he did not take it well because he wants to lead this team and be on the field. But he's a pro, one of the better pros I've been around. He will support Justin, like he's been doing."
Lynn said Taylor, who is a team captain, is expected to return to practice this week and be Herbert's backup against the Saints.
