The Los Angeles Chargers worked hard — and spent top dollar and a first-round draft pick — to rebuild the running back position this offseason.
After releasing Gus Edwards and choosing not to re-sign J.K. Dobbins, the team signed Najee Harris in free agency before drafting Omarion Hampton in the first round. That sounds like the winning combination that Jim Harbaugh has been looking for, but could the team be looking for more depth?
Second-year player Kimani Vidal will be the favorite to be the team’s No. 3 running back. Hassan Haskins, Jaret Patterson and undrafted free agent Raheim Sanders round out the depth chart. Harris, who has suited up for every game in his four-year career and the rookie Hampton should get nearly all of the work in the backfield this coming season, but Anthony Palacios of Last Word on Sports sees the team being in the mix for a player he feels could be on the move.
If the San Francisco 49ers feel that Isaac Guerendo could be the odd man out in their backfield this coming season, they could be looking to make a trade. Palacios sees the Chargers as a fit.
“Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Chargers should be eyeing an RB3, and that could be Guerendo. There were rumors that the team could trade Najee Harris just months after signing him. While that could be possible if he doesn’t perform up to standards and the team were to want to get some draft capital in return, they might be better off keeping him to see how he excels even as a backup. First-round pick Omarion Hampton will likely be the starter for Justin Herbert’s offense, and they could use Guerendo as a solid depth fill-in rotation to compete with Kimani Vidal”, wrote Palacios.
The Niners took Guerendo in the fourth round of last year’s draft out of Louisville. Due to a banged-up backfield in San Francisco, he saw extended action, carrying the ball 84 times for 420 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught 15 passes for 152 yards.
Guerendo is an exciting prospect as he is both a pounding runner and one with deceptive speed if he is able to get into the open field. He would be the perfect fit for a Harbaugh offense, but it would also be surprising to see the 49ers give up on him after just one season, even if they love their current running back room.
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