Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman wants to run the football, and it will happen either with or without Najee Harris, who is still recovering from a July 4 fireworks eye injury.
“There will be rotation no matter what happens. … the day of the one running back taking every rep, it’s kinda gone the way of the prehistoric creatures,” Roman said on Tuesday, according to Blue Wire.
Last week, a photo surfaced of Harris that showed him appearing to have difficulty opening his left eye.
The Chargers lost their lead 2024 running back, J.K. Dobbins, to the AFC West-rival Denver Broncos in free agency, while No. 2 back Gus Edwards remains a free agent. The Chargers prioritized revamping their running back room this offseason, most notably signing the aforementioned Harris (one-year, $5.3 million deal) and selecting North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton with the No. 22 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Harris, a 2021 Pro Bowler, rushed for 1,078 yards and seven touchdowns per season on 3.9 yards per carry across his four-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2021-24). Last season, Harris ranked 14th among running backs with a 77.9 overall grade, according to Pro Football Focus.
Across his final two seasons at North Carolina (2023-24), Hampton rushed for 1,582 yards and 15 touchdowns per season on 5.9 yards per carry, while leading the ACC in rushing yards in both seasons. Elsewhere, the Chargers’ running back room also includes veteran Nyheim Hines, second-year player Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins, who played for head coach Jim Harbaugh at Michigan.
In 2023, Brandon Staley’s last season as head coach, the Chargers rushed for just 96.6 yards per game, good for 25th in the NFL. In their first season with Harbaugh at the helm and Roman calling plays (2024), the Chargers rushed for 110.7 yards per game, good for 17th in the sport.
Across Roman’s four seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens (2019-22), they led the league in rushing yards twice and ranked in the top three in all four seasons.
“Don’t have to make that decision right now,” Roman said about who will be his No. 2 and 3 running backs this season. “Just keep working, keep evaluating, keep trying to get better, see how it all fits together when the decision needs to be made.”
The Chargers open their 2025 regular season against the defending AFC-champion and AFC West-rival Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil on Sept. 5.
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