Chargers quarterback Trey Lance passes in the first half of the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday.
(David Richard / Associated Press)
Lance, the onetime third overall pick of San Francisco, looked sharp and polished. Whether that’s enough for him to get the upper hand on Taylor Heinicke for the Chargers’ backup job remains to be seen, but Lance didn’t hurt his chances.
He completed 13 of 20 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns.
The disclaimer here bears repeating: The preseason is not the regular season, either in speed or talent of the players on the field. A guy can look like an All-Pro in these games and not even make the final roster. In fact, that happens all the time.
Two of Lance’s more memorable passes were to fifth-round pick KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who had a 28-yard reception on third down and a 15-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. There’s plenty of opportunity for a young receiver to step up for the Chargers, and Lambert-Smith is doing that so far.
First-round pick Omarion Hampton got two carries early in the game, one of them for an eight-yard gain. On the other, though, he tried to bounce outside in the red zone and couldn’t elude cornerback Rock Ya-Sin, who took him out with an ankle tackle.
Although Lance played most of the game for the Chargers, DJ Uiagalelei, the five-star quarterback who played at St. John Bosco, got some snaps as well.
