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Lindsey Thiry, ESPN
COSTA MESA, Calif. — A known fishing enthusiast, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert will never need to worry again about budgeting for a boat, poles, tackle or bait.
Not after signing a five-year, $262.5 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid player in NFL history.
But Herbert said that was something he’d yet to account for only hours after signing the deal, which according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter includes $133.7 million guaranteed and a no-trade clause.
“That’s something to address at a later point,” Herbert said Wednesday with a smile. “Come offseason next year, we’ll get around to that.”
The Chargers’ investment in Herbert signals their hope that the offseason could be further away than ever before in their 64-year history.
For Herbert, the record-breaking deal signals freedom to be himself.
“I just get to play football now and I think that’s the best part about it is I get to play free,” Herbert said. “I get to play fearless, and we go out there and we get to play our type of ball.”
That appeared to be on display during the Chargers’ first training camp practice as Herbert, 25, moved swiftly through drills and completed several impressive passes with apparent ease in front of screaming fans, team executives and owner Dean Spanos.
“We’re very, very fortunate,” Chargers coach Brandon Staley said of reaching a deal with Herbert. “To have a young player leading your team that is made up of all the right stuff, most importantly, and then who can play the game like few who have ever played the position can — it’s just really exciting for us.”
Herbert has set several NFL milestones since being selected with the sixth overall draft pick in 2020, including the most passing yards (14,089) through a player’s first three seasons.
Last season, despite playing through fractured rib cartilage and later an injured left shoulder that required postseason surgery, Herbert led the injury-plagued Chargers to their first playoff appearance since 2018.
The Chargers opened negotiations with Herbert shortly after their season ended with a wild-card loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and they expressed optimism throughout the process that a deal would be reached.
Staley said Wednesday he was not concerned with any possible distraction if negotiations lingered, but Herbert called it “huge” that the sides reached an agreement before opening camp.
“Now our focus is on football,” Herbert said. “It’s to be the best football team that we can be, it’s not going to be a distraction for us.”
While Herbert said multiple times that he now felt free to play, the fourth-year pro also acknowledged that such commitment from an organization would be accompanied by additional responsibility.
“That’s kind of the role of the quarterback, is to have that big responsibility,” he said. “I look forward to that challenge. I’ve grown each year. I’ve gotten better at that.”
Source: www.espn.com