Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad signing of Justin Herbert’s brother has value beyond the family reunion gimmick
Patrick Herbert joining brother Justin Herbert is a fun family story for the Los Angeles Chargers. However, it’s also a move with real football value for a team that needed practice squad depth.
The Los Angeles Chargers have signed tight end Patrick Herbert, the brother of starting quarterback Justin Herbert, to their practice squad.
The move reunites the siblings on the same roster for the first time since their college days at the University of Oregon in 2019. Patrick was a freshman that year and appeared in just two games. Meanwhile, Justin was one of the top quarterbacks in college football during, passing for 3,471 yards, 32 touchdowns, and five interceptions. That was en route to his selection as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Patrick appeared in 41 games over the course of his three seasons with the Ducks. He mainly played the role of an in-line blocking tight end, finishing his career with just 31 catches for 388 yards and four touchdowns. He went undrafted out of Oregon and signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the 2025 NFL season. Patrick spent that season on the practice squad and was elevated once to the 53-man roster.
After the Jaguars invested heavily at tight end this offseason, Patrick did not make the Jaguars’ 53-man roster for the 2026 NFL season and was waived during roster cuts. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garofalo, Patrick fielded offers from multiple teams but decided to join the team where his brother is the star starting quarterback. The decision makes sense personally, but it carries football value, too.
Patrick Herbert provides a different skill set for the Chargers’ tight end room
It might seem like a gimmick on the surface. However, Patrick adds depth to a tight end group that includes talented players Charlie Kolar, Oronde Gadsden, and David Njoku. His blocking skill set offers something a little different than the trio the Chargers have on the active roster. He could realistically stick and contribute, especially when you consider the injury history of Njoku and Kolar.
Patrick will turn 26 years old in October. Justin is currently 28 years old. The two now have a chance to stay on the same roster in Los Angeles, with Patrick on the practice squad and Justin leading the team as its franchise quarterback. For a Chargers team looking to compete at the highest level in 2026, adding a blocking-focused tight end to the practice squad is a low-risk move with real upside. If injuries hit the tight end room or Los Angeles needs extra help in the run game on any given week, Patrick gives them a viable elevation option with NFL experience from his time in Jacksonville.
