Easton Stick has been given a long leash by the Los Angeles Chargers, for reasons no one seems to understand.
Discussions about the team’s backup quarterback position took over preseason headlines when it was revealed that starting quarterback Justin Herbert suffered an injury. plantar fascia injuryAs long as Herbert was the team’s QB, the backup position wasn’t an issue because, most of the time, it literally meant one player carrying a clipboard.
But after missing the final four games of the 2023 season, and now with an injury that is proving to be a lingering one, she has been put under the microscope.
Since then, Easton Stick has seen his playing time increase and he has fallen flat. Yet the team still keeps him on the roster.
Easton Stick played as bad as any QB in the preseason
The Chargers recently made a trade to acquire Taylor Heinicke from the Atlanta Falcons, a nice move that gives the team one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league. Many thought Stick would be cut from the 53-man roster at that point, but he remains.
To some extent, that part makes sense, as Heinicke will need to get comfortable with the offense. Still, the idea that Stick could likely be the starting quarterback if Herbert had an issue and couldn’t play early in the season is scary.
Stick didn’t even outperform the competition in camp. Luis Perez, a player who wasn’t even in the NFL when camp began, looked much better in the first two preseason games. The team elected to let Stick play the entire final preseason game, and aside from a 78-yard touchdown pass to Simi Fehoko, he looked terrible.
Stick completed less than 50 percent of his throws in the preseason and threw an interception in each of his three games. Yet players like Tre’Mon Morris-Brash and Tony Jefferson, who were terrific in the preseason, were relegated to the practice squad.
Building an NFL roster is no easy feat, but this is a bit of an odd choice. Hopefully Heinicke can get things back on track quickly and the Chargers can get rid of Stick.
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