Going into the 2024 season, the Los Angeles Chargers performed a nearly complete reset at running back. Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley were both allowed to walk, and the only returning ones from last year were Isaiah Spiller and Elijah Dotson. Neither of them seemed like they were going to be the primary options. The Chargers brought in some new names this off-season both via free agency and the Draft, and now after two preseason games we are starting to get a better idea of how the running back corps will look this year – and where the incumbent players may or may not land in that picture.
Chargers Running Back Picture Becoming Clearer After Two Preseason Games
Gus Edwards / J.K. Dobbins
These two former Baltimore Ravens running backs appear to be locked in as the starters. Neither of them has played in the preseason so far, and not due to injury either – Dobbins is fully recovered from his Achilles injury last year, apparently. There have been several healthy Chargers starters who have not played in the preseason so far, so leaving them on the sideline says enough about their role.
Presumably, offensive coordinator Greg Roman – also formerly of Baltimore, which is probably part of why Dobbins and Edwards ended up with the Chargers in the first place – will use the two similar to how he used them in Baltimore – as a two-headed monster. Edwards would be the short-yardage and general downhill runner, while Dobbins would be the more explosive one – assuming he’s the same after his Achilles injury. That will be the main question here – if Dobbins can stay healthy.
Kimani Vidal
Kimani Vidal was the Chargers draft pick at running back this year. Despite amassing impressive stats in college, he slipped to the sixth round (possibly due to being undersized). He did not play in the first Chargers preseason game, but got his first opportunity came in the second game. And he made the most of it.
Los Angeles Chargers sixth-round rookie RB Kimani Vidal:
– 28 of 49 rushing yards gained after contact
– Three avoided tackles, per @TruMediaSportsSome tough running on display in his preseason debut. pic.twitter.com/EvmyUMD3VB
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) August 18, 2024
He finished with 11 carries for 49 yards plus two catches for eight yards. As shown above, over half of his yards came after contact. He is not letting his being undersized stop him easily, even with contact and often not having a lot of room to run due to poor blocking. Vidal easily looked the best of any of the Chargers running backs in the preseason so far (which admittedly is not saying a lot). He should be the RB3 behind Dobbins and Edwards – and be first in line to get more opportunities if one of them goes down.
Jaret Patterson
Patterson has been the more unsung standout so far. He spent last year on the practice squad and signed a new reserve/future contract in January. Unlike some of the other remaining Chargers halfbacks, he’d actually had some degree of success as a runner, albeit with Washington back in 2021-22. We saw some of that spark in both weeks of the preseason so far; he had seven carries for 38 yards in Week 1. He did not have the same success in Week 2, but he did show some ability as a safety valve pass-catcher, grabbing five passes for 28 yards.
Having some degree of success plus the fact that he is getting more carries than the likes of Spiller or Dotson indicates he has a leg up over them on the depth chart right now – and for a roster spot. I had alluded before to him being a sleeper to steal a spot from the likes of Spiller – and now that is looking more realistic.
Spiller and Dotson on the Roster Bubble?
Vidal had 57 total yards in Week 2, and Patterson had 80 in two weeks combined. Isaiah Spiller had 46 in two weeks combined – amassing only 12 yards on seven attempts. Elijah Dotson had 23 total yards in the two games. Spiller made a couple of decent plays as a receiver, but overall both he and Dotson struggled heavily. Dotson impressed last preseason but has not made a peep since, while Spiller has never really shown anything of note since he got drafted back in 2022.
With that in mind and having some new talent that has outdone them, both of these two are likely on the way out. It is possible that one of them could get a practice squad spot (they may need the extra man if Dobbins goes down), but it is hard to see how either one of them makes the final roster at this point. With that in mind, the Chargers would have a 100% revamped running back corps this year with no one returning from last year (unless you count Patterson, since he was on the practice squad last year). Considering that this has been a big weak spot for the Chargers outside of Ekeler for years now, credit to Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh for setting things going in the right direction quickly.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
