Patrick Herbert’s latest move is a reminder that NFL careers can turn on timing as much as talent. The 25-year-old tight end was waived by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, then quickly signed with the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad, putting him on the same roster as his brother Justin Herbert.
It is a fitting next chapter for a player whose path has already included Oregon, Jacksonville and now Los Angeles. Patrick Herbert and Justin Herbert overlapped at Oregon in 2019, when Patrick redshirted and Justin guided the Ducks to a 12-2 record before being drafted sixth overall by the Chargers after that season. That shared history has followed them ever since, and now it has become a real NFL connection.
A roster move with family ties
Patrick Herbert had spent last season on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad after going undrafted in 2025, and he also signed a reserve/future contract with Jacksonville in January. The Jaguars gave him another look this preseason, where he caught two passes for 12 yards, but the team moved on on Sunday. The Chargers were waiting.
That kind of change is not unusual for a practice-squad player, but it does make this move notable. Patrick Herbert had previously fielded multiple offers, according to the reporting around his signing, which suggests there was some outside interest once he became available. Still, the appeal of joining Los Angeles was obvious: a familiar system, a familiar city, and a chance to stay close to a quarterback he has known for years.
What the numbers say about his path
Herbert’s résumé so far is modest, but it is not empty. In his final year in 2024, he had 10 receptions for 97 yards. Across his career, he has played 43 games and produced 31 catches for 388 yards and four touchdowns. Those are not starter-level numbers, but they do show a player who has stayed in the mix and kept earning chances.
That matters because tight ends who enter the league undrafted often need patience, special teams value and the ability to adjust quickly from one roster to the next. Patrick Herbert has already done that across college and the NFL, and now he gets another opportunity in a place where the personal connection is impossible to miss. Before the Chargers’ game against the Jaguars last November, he said he did not think he had ever played opposite Justin, which only underlined how unusual this reunion is.
The Chargers lost that game 35-6, but this is not really about one result from last November. It is about a player who has kept working through different stops and now gets a fresh chance with the team led by his brother. In a league built on attrition, sometimes the most interesting move is simply the one that keeps the story going.
