Chargers’ Trey Lance named starter for NFL’s annual Hall of Fame game to open preseason

Training camps opened across the NFL last week. But later this week, the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers will meet in Canton, Ohio, to officially kick off the preseason.

On Tuesday, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed Trey Lance as the starter for Thursday’s exhibition opener. Lance was the third overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, but the first few seasons of his professional football career have been turbulent.

Harbaugh, who is entering his second season as the head coach in Los Angeles, also told reporters that Lance will take snaps into the third quarter of the game against the Lions.

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“I want to get Trey Lance game experience,” Harbaugh said.

Lance agreed to a one-year contract with the Chargers in the offseason after a two-year stint with the Dallas Cowboys.

He was traded to the Cowboys in 2023, but was relegated to the third spot on the depth chart. He was considered a healthy scratch for each game that season. 

The 26-year-old appeared in four games with the Cowboys. He took the field as a starter for one of those games after Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush suffered respective injuries. 

Lance finished the 2024 season with 266 passing yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. He started his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers.

Former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei is expected to relieve Lance in Thursday’s game. Many NFL teams elect to hold their starters out of the first preseason game. Keeping in line with that approach, Chargers starting quarterback Justin Herbet will sit out on Thursday.

The annual Hall of Fame coincides with the induction ceremonies for members of the latest class. It also gives the participating clubs an extra opportunity to evaluate their respective teams. Every other NFL team will play three preseason contests, while the Chargers and Lions will conclude the exhibition season with four games under their belts.

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