Ranking the 2021 AFC West QBs: Where do the Las Vegas Raiders rank

Justin Herbert was not expected to be the starter for the LA Chargers in 2020 as they were set to roll with Tyrod Taylor until the rookie was deemed ready for the job. A freak medical accident forced Herbert to start in Week 2 and he grabbed the QB1 slot by the horns with a great performance against Kansas City.

Herbert went on to have a great season for a Chargers team that was a few bounces and poor coaching decisions from making some noise in the AFC but that’s the way things have gone for them for years. There were some classic rookie mistakes by Herbert which included trying to do too much on certain plays rather than taking what the defense gave him but he clearly has all of the tools to succeed.

The former Oregon Duck showed that he has the makings of a franchise QB and will be yet another great player the Raiders will have to deal with for the next decade or so. There are still some unknowns for Herbert such as how he would operate in a real situation on the road as he had the benefit of playing in empty opposing stadiums for his entire rookie year.

There is also the usual question of what will happen now that defensive coordinators have a full season of his tape to study.

It’s not a knock on Herbert that he is the third-best QB behind a veteran in Derek Carr and a former MVP in Patrick Mahomes and he will have plenty of chances to work his way up to second in 2021. He is in a great position to succeed with a rebuilt offensive line and a talented group of receivers and will just have to take advantage of the opportunity presented.