Jim Harbaugh’s silence speaks volumes regarding Brendan Sorsby and gambling

And now 32 NFL teams face an incredibly complicated question: In a sport where trust is such a critical component, how can you possibly put your faith in Sorsby?

How can his coaches and teammates be sure he’s playing on the up and up every time he takes the field?

How can teams convince their fanbases, and anyone else watching their games, that their quarterback is playing for the purest of reasons rather than being heavily influenced by the point spread or some over-under prop bet?

It’s a question Jim Harbaugh was not ready to tackle on Thursday when asked about it on the last day of Chargers minicamp.

“I know sometimes it’s what’s the hot topic of the day, and ‘hey, Coach Harbaugh, weigh in on it,’” Harbaugh said. “I stand here not knowing the details. So I’ll pass.”

And therein lies pretty much everyone else in the NFL.

As teams earnestly begin deciding whether to welcome Sorsby into their locker rooms and what level of investment they are prepared to make in him when the league’s supplemental draft unfolds next month, they have a lot to ponder.

Among the more than 9,000 bets Sorsby placed were wagers on the Indiana football team he was a member of, albeit during his redshirt freshman season rather than as an active participant.

Another league talent evaluator told The Post that he believes Sorsby would not have gotten out of the first round.

“He can absolutely play,” the source said. “There’s some refinement needed. He’s raw in some ways. But the traits are there.”

Of course, Sorsby is the furthest thing from a “just talent” prospect the NFL has encountered in years. There are red flags, and then there are the kind of LED-generated neon blinking lights surrounding Sorsby. His backstory basically makes him one giant parlay of liability.

As much as those teams like Sorsby the player, what level of draft pick are they willing to commit to him?

Throw in the fact that he plays quarterback, and that teams like the Jets, Cardinals, and Dolphins desperately need one, and a classic case of need vs. risk is shaping up.

“It will be a fascinating case study,” an NFL team executive said.

Sorsby’s gambling covered more than four years, including during his time at Cincinnati over the last two seasons, and after transferring to Texas Tech. He used sportsbook apps registered to family members and friends to place the bets.

After being diagnosed with a gambling and anxiety disorder, he checked himself into a gambling rehabilitation center and completed a 35-day program.

In a letter to the NCAA during his quest to regain eligibility for the upcoming season, Sorsby said his addiction took control of him.

“It became a habit for me to bet,” he wrote. “My betting became a compulsion which made it virtually impossible to resist the constant notifications I received from betting apps. I lost complete control of my addiction. I now realize the apps controlled me and I did not control them.”

Needless to say, NFL teams will have a lot of questions for Sorsby during the upcoming evaluation process. That includes the personal Pro Day he is expected to participate in early July.

With so much at stake, teams are expected to take the deepest of deep dives into him.

“You talk to his coaches and staff at Cincinnati, Indiana, and Texas Tech,” said an NFL team executive. “You talk to his teammates. You talk to him. You have your coaches and team clinician involved.  You do personality and psych testing. And then make a decision.”

Nevertheless, one league source told The Post this week: “He’ll definitely get picked and probably earlier than expected.”

The drama is just beginning.

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