Insider issues bold MVP take for Chargers' Justin Herbert

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Insider issues bold MVP take for Chargers' Justin Herbert originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Chargers, over the past two seasons under Jim Harbaugh, have been nothing if not consistent.

Back-to-back 11-win seasons and two playoff appearances show things are building nicely, but no postseason wins and Justin Herbert looking awful in the playoffs, something has to give.

Well, the Chargers hired Mike McDaniel to be the offensive coordinator, a move I love, and what that could do for Herbert is a tantalizing thought.

And for Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, he thinks that there could be an MVP discussion coming Herbert's way, thanks to McDaniel in 2026.

"I do believe in McDaniel, and think the union with Jim Harbaugh will be a good one," Breer wrote. "And I think it’ll lead to Justin Herbert making a run at MVP in his seventh season.

"So I think it’s fair to hope for 25 points per game this year, which would put them on the fringe of the top 10 in scoring, and represent a pretty big uptick in production. And as part of that, I’d bet they have one of the NFL’s most effective and explosive run games."

MORE: Buccaneers' HC/QB duo could be under career-defining pressure in 2026

Can Herbert finally be the QB fans want?​

The media love that Herbert has gotten over the past few years has confused me. Granted, the talent is there, and it's undeniable, but he hasn't done anything substantial in the league yet.

Yes, he has the regular-season numbers, but so do others. It's what matters in the postseason, and I believe with McDaniel, we could see the very best version of Herbert in 2026.

That's not a bold take; that could easily be a reality. L.A. has to get lucky with injuries, and if they do, there is every chance that for one, Herbert earns his spot on the top quarterback's rankings list that gets put out every season.

He has the potential to be great. But now he has to actually show he can be great, and McDaniel is key to it happening.

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