Chargers’ Justin Herbert plans a full throwing week at minicamp after spring work on a modified schedule

Los Angeles’ quarterback expects a more familiar practice routine as the team moves from voluntary spring workouts into minicamp, with head coach Jim Harbaugh saying Herbert will throw at each session.

By The Apex Times Newsroom3 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Los Angeles Chargers are shifting their offseason throwing plan toward a more consistent cadence for quarterback Justin Herbert, with Herbert scheduled to throw at each practice during minicamp this week. The change comes after Herbert missed some of the team’s voluntary workouts earlier in the spring and, in practices he did attend, operated on a modified schedule.

According to reports from the team’s minicamp week, Herbert’s spring rhythm included a different emphasis on days when he was not taking full throwing reps. During some of the offseason sessions, he worked on a footwork-focused routine designed to help speed up his release, even as the rest of practice time moved through a broader set of team periods.

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh indicated that the minicamp schedule is being built with summer preparation in mind, aiming to get Herbert “ramping up” toward training camp by restoring the type of repeat throwing days that quarterbacks rely on for timing, tempo, and rhythm. In this phase of the calendar, minicamp typically serves as a bridge from spring OTAs, where work is more limited in duration and scope, into the more structured practices of camp.

Harbaugh’s comments also suggest that Herbert’s workload management earlier in the offseason was deliberate rather than disruptive, with the footwork-only approach acting as a partial substitute on certain days. The overall picture is that Herbert and the coaching staff viewed the modified plan as a way to keep building key mechanics while still navigating the realities of a spring voluntary schedule.

Herbert’s participation pattern matters less for short-term results than for cumulative practice reps. Quarterbacks refine decision-making, release timing, and foot-to-throw synchronization through repetition across consecutive sessions. A week in which Herbert is throwing at each minicamp practice can tighten those details right before the Chargers move into camp preparation.

This minicamp adjustment also fits into the broader purpose of the offseason for an NFL team, where coaches use the final spring weeks to evaluate offensive timing, build continuity, and set practice habits. For Herbert, a full throwing week provides a clearer runway to the expectations of training camp, when the intensity and frequency of practice work tends to rise.

The next thing to watch for Los Angeles is whether Herbert’s throwing routine at minicamp continues into the lead-in practices before training camp begins. If the Chargers follow through with the plan Harbaugh described, it should offer a straightforward indicator that Herbert’s offseason schedule is fully aligned with the timing goals for camp.

For now, the storyline is about consistency: Herbert missed some voluntary work earlier in the spring, practiced on a modified plan while focusing on footwork on certain days, and is now expected to return to a more familiar throwing cadence as minicamp progresses.

Why It Matters

Quarterbacks depend on consecutive throwing reps to maintain timing and consistency, so a full throwing week can accelerate continuity before training camp.
Herbert’s spring participation pattern creates a built-in emphasis on workload management, making minicamp a key checkpoint for the team’s preparation plan.
The structure of offseason practices affects how quickly an offense can sync routes, tempo, and timing in preparation for camp work.

Sources

Key Facts

Justin Herbert is expected to throw at each Chargers minicamp practice session this week, per reports citing head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Herbert missed some of the team’s voluntary workouts earlier in the spring.
In practices Herbert attended during the spring, he worked on a modified schedule in part by taking a day focused on footwork rather than throwing.
The coaching staff described the minicamp schedule as part of an effort to get Herbert prepared for training camp.
The minicamp is positioned as a transition point between spring OTAs and the more intensive training-camp practices.