Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Trey Lance will start in the preseason Hall of Fame Game.
The Los Angeles Chargers will take the field to open the 2025 NFL preseason on Thursday night as the team will take on the Detroit Lions in the annual Hall of Fame Game.
The Chargers will not play any starters, but there has been a big announcement in terms of who will play in the game. Trey Lance, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, will make the start at quarterback. According to Jim Harbaugh, speaking to Eric Smith of the team's official website, he is rewarding Lance for a good camp so far.
"He's had a heck of a camp. I just want to get Trey Lance game experience. With his career and then in college, he doesn't have as much as most guys", said Harbaugh.
Undrafted free agent D.J. Uiagalelei will relieve Lance and play the second half, while Taylor Heinicke, the perceived No. 2 QB, will dress and serve in an emergency role for this game.
I'd imagine a fair amount of people around the country just learned that Trey Lance plays for the Chargers https://t.co/lSaIRAhjaN
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) July 29, 2025
For Lance, this is a big opportunity, even if it is the first preseason game of the year. Once thought of as the future of the San Francisco 49ers, Lance is already on his third NFL team and has looked incredibly bad whenever he has been out on the field, to be frank.
If he is unable to make things work in L.A., it could be the end of his NFL road. But he is playing for a coach who may be able to find something in him that no one else has been able to find just yet. If he goes out there and shows a knowledge of the system, makes the smart play and shows he can still read NFL defenses, his tenure with the Bolts will be off to a good start.
READ:Hype train for Chargers' rookie RB may already be derailed
For his career, Lance has made just five career starts. He's thrown five touchdowns and four interceptions and his team has a 2-3 record in those games.
There is some belief that Lance can push Heinicke for the primary backup job to Justin Herbert this summer, but he has a long way to go to make that happen. If it has any chance to happen, it starts in Canton.
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Category: Football
