Chargers about to make second massive mistake of the offseason

The Los Angeles Chargers seem to be going cheap once again because that is who they are.

After making one GOB Bluth huge mistake by retaining Brandon Staley as head coach, the Los Angeles Chargers are about to make another one when it comes to their franchise quarterback.

Although Justin Herbert is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco revealed during Thursday’s end-of-season press conference that the Bolts brass has not yet begun negotiating a new deal with him. For a franchise that is notoriously cheap, what makes you think these negotiations between the Chargers and Herbert will end well?

While the Chargers want Herbert to have some say in who Staley hires as his next offensive coordinator, this feels like Los Angeles is jumping over a $20 bill to pick up a shiny new penny. Herbert may not have it in him to be overly combative during the negotiating process, but that is what his representation is for. The Chargers have landed a superstar but cannot screw this up.

This all could have been solved if the Chargers just fired Staley and then traded for Sean Payton…

The Los Angeles Chargers are so going to screw up Justin Herbert extension talk

Look. There is never a wrong time to do the right thing. Just look at the historically cheap Cincinnati Bengals. The reigning AFC champions did not have an indoor practice facility heading into last year’s Super Bowl run. Now, they are getting one built and have renamed Paul Brown Stadium to Paycor Stadium to ensure that they can continue to build winners around Joe Burrow.

Well, the second tenant to the Los Angeles Rams were willing to play in a soccer stadium and completely alienate its fanbase by moving two hours north, rather than figure out how to build a state-of-the-art new stadium in sunny San Diego. No, the Chargers are not going to let Herbert walk, but every negotiation with the Bolts is unnecessarily and painstakingly brutal. Just stop…

While Herbert is not hitting the open market any time soon, the Chargers need to realize what they have in him, which is a Dan Fouts, Philip Rivers talent that can actually get to the Super Bowl like Stan Humphries did. If you go cheap, you will pay for it later. The best thing the Bolts can do is get Herbert under contract for fair market value. Otherwise, their Super Bowl window slams shut.

The longer the Chargers wait to extend Herbert, the more expensive of an asset he will become.