The Los Angeles Chargers were put in a tough spot when Najee Harris injured his eye away from the team during the holiday weekend. Harris, who signed a one-year deal with the Bolts this offseason, was in line to split carries with first-round pick Omarion Hampton to open up the season.
With his status in limbo all training camp, the Chargers signed fellow veteran Naheem Miller-Hines for the time being. Fast-forward one month later and it looks like Harris will indeed be ready for Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chargers activated him from the NFI list on Tuesday.
With Harris back in the fold, the Chargers trimmed down their running back room by releasing Kimani Vidal, Raheim Sanders and Miller-Hines. The Chargers now have Harris, Hampton and Hassan Haskins in the backfield.
Harris has four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons under his belt from his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He isn't regarded as one of the top rushers in the league, but he does have the production to add value to the Chargers' offense.
That, combined with Hampton's explosiveness, could be the key to unlocking the Chargers' running game in 2025. The Bolts' last 1,000-yard rusher was Melvin Gordon in 2017, so they clearly feel that one of Harris or Hampton could end that streak.
It'll be interesting to see how the dynamic of Harris and Hampton work on the field when Week 1 rolls around.
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