Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz has been active in making changes to the team’s roster, particularly at quarterback.
On Thursday, the Chargers completed a trade with Atlanta to acquire Taylor Heinicke for a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2025, depending on how much he plays.
Since training camp began, Hortiz has signed nine new players, traded for two, and made a waiver claim to shape the best 53-man roster before the season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders on September 8.
This is Hortiz’s first year as general manager after Tom Telesco was let go near the end of last season. Telesco, who was hired by the Raiders in the offseason, had been the Chargers’ GM since 2013.
Coach Jim Harbaugh mentioned that his father, Jack Harbaugh, nicknamed Hortiz “Chef Hortiz” due to his impressive roster moves.
“Just seeing the ingredients he has added and mixed in with this football team is outstanding,” Jim Harbaugh said.
Heinicke provides the Chargers with a seasoned backup in case starter Justin Herbert gets injured.
Herbert missed two weeks of training camp due to a foot injury and sat out the last four games last season because of a finger injury on his throwing hand. However, Herbert returned to practice last week and is expected to start the season opener.
“I like him and his body of work,” Harbaugh said of Heinicke. “When he quarterbacks a team, they are competitive. He throws with good accuracy and plays his game.”
To make space for Heinicke and defensive back Elijah Molden, who was acquired from Tennessee on Wednesday, the Chargers released safety Tony Jefferson and waived running back Jaret Patterson.
The addition of Heinicke and the observation of Easton Stick during the preseason made Harbaugh realize that one approach doesn’t fit all quarterbacks. This has changed how he plans for the season.
“The backup quarterback here with the Chargers behind Justin, we have to coach them separately,” Harbaugh said. “You can’t try to replicate Justin and what he does in every way. You have to set aside what he can and does do and focus on playing your own game.
“We’re not helping Easton by coaching him the same way as Justin. They need to play their game and have a game plan that suits them to win.”
Stick started four games last season after Herbert’s injury and took most of the quarterback snaps during the preseason. Despite this, he didn’t show much improvement. Stick had a 46.2 passer rating and had four turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble) during the preseason, playing eight of the 12 quarters.
Stick’s best moment in the preseason was a 78-yard touchdown pass to Simi Fehoko in the second quarter of last Saturday’s 26-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
This will be Heinicke’s fifth team in seven seasons. He has started 29 games in his career, with his best performance coming in Washington in 2021. He started 15 games that year, throwing 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions as Washington won the NFC East.
Heinicke joined Atlanta as a free agent last season and started five games. His future with the Falcons was uncertain after the team signed Kirk Cousins in free agency and drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round.
