 He signed with the team in late July, and spent the preseason competing with Rick Neuheisel, Tom Flick, and others for the backup quarterback job.While he performed well in the preseason, the Chargers were looking to have him sit out a year so he could learn the ins-and-outs or pro football.After Flick was cut and Mark Herrmann named the primary backup, Vlasic beat out Neuheisel for the final quarterback spot on the Chargers' roster, though Neuheisel would rejoin the team later that season due to the strike.