Justin Herbert's days as a hopeful future franchise quarterback have begun.
Herbert, the sixth pick of the 2020 NFL Draft and the third QB selected, has finalized his four-year, fully guaranteed rookie contract with the Los Angeles Chargers worth roughly $26.6 million, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Saturday. The team later announced the signing.
A strong-armed athletic talent out of Oregon with prototypical NFL size at 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, Herbert threw for 3,471 yards with a 66.8 completion percentage and 32 touchdowns to just six interceptions in his senior campaign for the Ducks.
Taken after LSU signal-caller Joe Burrow was selected No. 1 by the Bengals and Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa was picked No. 5 by the Dolphins, Herbert will join a Chargers team that parted with longtime face of the franchise Philip Rivers in the offseason. The Bolts' hope is that Herbert becomes the next face of the franchise, but at the onset he'll have to battle it out or wait behind Tyrod Taylor.
The Packers picked Utah State's Jordan Love with the 26th pick of the opening round, making him the final quarterback selected in the first round. Love and Tagovailoa had already signed. Now that Herbert and the Bolts have finalized their deal, Burrow is the only remaining first-round QB unsigned.