Najee Harris Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Chargers' Injured Free Agent Shows Surprising Comeback Update

Originally posted on Los Angeles Chargers on SI
By Chris Roling | Last updated Mar 23, 2026 8:00 PM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers probably aren't going to be in the market for another running back during NFL free agency.

After all, the Chargers went and signed Keaton Mitchell, an explosive player who sure looks like a great fit in new coordinator Mike McDaniel’s offense.

Mitchell joins a depth chart headlined by first-round product Omarion Hampton. Kimani Vidal has the look of one of the better spell backs in the entire NFL after his showing in spot-duty last year, too.

For whatever it’s worth, though, there’s a former Chargers running back still out there on the market and making his way back from a serious injury.

Chargers free agent Najee Harris’ injury update

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Najee Harris was supposed to be the bruising every-down back in the Jim Harbaugh mold who mentored a rookie Hampton along while producing very well in a Justin Herbert-led offense.

There was nothing ever normal about Harris’ time with the Chargers, though.

Harris had the strange saga around his eye injury during a fireworks mishap during the summer. Then, the season-ending injury not long after his debut.

"He was really playing well. Playing great, especially on the gap scheme, he was hitting on the short-yardage plays," Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said after Harris’ torn achilles, per Eric Smith of the team’s official website. "Phenomenal pickups by him, second effort all the way."

But now, another update as Harris continues his comeback during NFL free agency:

No rush for Najee Harris, who can bide his time and wait to get to full health. But good progress... https://t.co/zQdAzFQ2b0
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 23, 2026

Harris, for better or worse, probably isn’t the McDaniel “mold” these days. That is a description better suited for Mitchell, a guy some were even surprised to see didn’t have his restricted tender picked up by Baltimore.

With the Chargers now more McDaniel and modernized than Harbaugh and old-school, at least offensively, addition in the Mithcell vein will happen around the draft, most likely.

Harris, provided he’s healthy, though, still isn’t done in the pros, so it’ll be interesting to see where he ends up, potentially over the summer. He's still just 28 years old, so if the medical side checks out, he could have a bigger role than some might expect with a new team.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Chargers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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