Colin Kaepernick's ex-teammate heaps pressure on Jim Harbaugh and Chargers for 2025 season under Justin Herbert-led offense

Jim Harbaugh's LA Chargers are having a rocky time in the AFC West Division, to say the least. They finished last season with an 11-6 record. However, one of Colin Kaepernick's former teammates has big expectations for the LA side next season.

Donte Whitner played three seasons with Kaepernick at the San Francisco 49ers from 2012 to 2014. Whiter joined the Cleveland Browns in 2014.

In an interview on the "Up & Adams Show" on Wednesday, Whitner was asked to give his two cents about the Chargers' upcoming season. Whitner stated he has big expectations from Jim Harbaugh's team since they have star players such as Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton, all helping out their QB, Justin Herbert.

"If they can get back to the dominance and running the football," Whitner said. "Last year was the first year that Harbaugh didn't, first year the team didn't rush for 110 yards a game. And we can call it like Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins just didn't get the job done.

"They went out and got Najee Harris, they went out and got Hampton, a kid out of North Carolina who's a threat. I think this is gonna be a year that they finally open it up for Justin Herbert."

An NFL analyst recently predicted the career of Chargers QB Justin Herbert

Justin Herbert was selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. He has since become one of the highest-paid QBs in the league's history after signing a whopping $262.5 million worth five-year extension with the LA Chargers in 2023.

While his paycheck seems like he's a top QB, his statistics say otherwise. Herbert is 0-2 in the playoffs. Despite not finding any post-season success, all is not over for the 27-year-old.

In the March 28 edition of "3 and Out," NFL insider John Middlekauff said that he thinks the Chargers star still has much time to prove his worth on the field.

"Justin Herbert just turned 27 years old," Middlekauff said. "So, even if we are conservative. ... He has eight more years of playing really well. ... I think you guys are gonna be OK."

“Most people are not Tom Brady, and most people are not Patrick Mahomes and win immediately,” Middlekauff added. "I think we’re overreacting sometimes, and I would say the same thing about Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen sometimes."

The Chargers fans are excited to see how the team performs under the leadership of Herbert in the 2025 season.