Chargers GM refuses update on Justin Herbert extension

Los Angeles Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco stated during a pre-draft press conference that there are no updates when it comes to a contract extension for quarterback Justin Herbert. 

Herbert himself later confirmed that there is no timeline in place to get something done. While no exact blueprint for a contract exists, many have pointed to Lamar Jackson's five-year extension with the Ravens as a possible framework for the Chargers and Herbert. 

However, Telesco dismissed this notion during a recent interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio, stating that the team does not see any existing pact as a guide to their own agreement. 

"Any time there is a contract signed at that position, yeah, it’s going to come up in conversation," Telesco said. "I wouldn’t say there is any quarterback contract out there that is a blueprint. I wouldn’t say that at all. But, like anything else, there’ll be contracts that’ll be talked about. We’ll cherry-pick some things out of that contract we like. The agent will cherry-pick some things out of that contract that he likes. In the end, we’ll get to a compromise at some point, something that works for everybody. That’s what we’ll do here. I don’t really have a timeframe for it, to be honest with you, but we’ll get there."

Despite this, multiple contracts for other quarterbacks can still provide a foundation for discussions on guarantees, cash flow and other contract details that the Chargers and Herbert will need to work out to keep their partnership going strong for years to come.

Herbert is coming off a season where he played 17 games for the Chargers, tallying 4,739 yards, second-most behind league MVP Patrick Mahomes, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with a 93.2 passer rating in 2022, leading the Chargers to a 10-7 record.