EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Two white sneakers were visible as Justin Herbert walked onto the practice field Thursday evening, no walking boot in sight.
It was the first time the quarterback appeared on the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice field without a walking boot since he was diagnosed with a plantar fascia injury in his right foot on July 31.
As coach Jim Harbaugh summed up succinctly after Thursday’s practice, “It felt like progress.”
Herbert did not practice Thursday outside of taking some walk-through snaps with the first-team offensive line, something he was also doing when he was in the boot. Still, it is an important step, largely because this development aligns with the timeline the Chargers announced when they revealed Herbert’s injury in a statement Aug. 1.
“Doctors have recommended approximately two weeks in a boot — followed by a graduated return to play protocol — with the expectation that he will be ready for the start of the regular season,” the statement read.
Thursday marked exactly two weeks since the Chargers released the statement.
“On track,” Harbaugh said Thursday of Herbert’s progress.
When asked if the medical staff had indicated how close Herbert is to practicing, Harbaugh said, “No, haven’t received that.”
