For once, it actually felt like the Chargers had figured it out. After years of puzzling rotations and constant turnover in the backfield, fans could finally breathe. Omarion Hampton looked like the guy, Najee Harris was the ideal one-two punch, and for the first time in a while, the running back room just… made sense. But things never stay perfect in LA, do they?
Just when it seemed like things were finally falling into place, the Najee Harris situation threw it all into chaos. His ‘superficial’ injury is not seeming so superficial anymore, Jim Harbaugh’s playing it close to the vest, and now the Chargers are staring at a full-blown RB2 mess unfolding right before our eyes. The one thing that was figured out might now be the Chargers’ biggest question mark.
In a recent episode of Locked on Chargers, Daniel Wade and David Doegemeler discussed the unplanned RB2 battle and narrowed it down to two names: Hassan Haskins and Kamani Vidal. “RB1 is Omar[ion]. Now you’re looking at an RB2 battle. Hassan Haskins was a pretty mediocre runner last year. He had his moments in the receiving game, short-yardage guy. Or Kamani Vidal, who had an underwhelming rookie season,” Daniel said.
Jul 24, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh instructs on the field during the first day of training camp at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
Haskins, one of Harbaugh’s old Michigan guys, has now suddenly stepped into the spotlight thanks to Harris. In 2024, he logged 34 carries for just 89 yards (a modest 2.6 average) and punched in two touchdowns. He also added a sneaky 49 receiving yards and a score on just three catches, racking up 120 offensive snaps total.
Not flashy, far from it actually. But steady. Especially when J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards were banged up. His edge over UDFA rookies like Vidal? Special teams work and vet trust. Haskins finished the year with 89 rushing and 106 receiving yards Pretty solid.
On the other side of the RB2 battle, you’ve got Kamani Vidal. 2024 sixth-rounder out of Troy who absolutely lit it up in college with 1,661 rushing yards and Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year honors. But his rookie season? It didn’t tell the same story.
Vidal totaled just 98 rushing yards on 30 carries (3.3 avg), added 49 receiving yards, and scored once over six games. That 38-yard TD catch in his debut turned heads, but his snap count stayed limited. There’s potential, yes. But to hand him RB2 keys already? A big risk.
The verdict? Neither of them is a clear winner. Their strengths are different. Haskins brings power and pass-catching trust, Vidal brings speed. With Omarion Hampton locked in as RB1 at camp, the Chargers are looking for a true do-it-all complement. Right now? Haskins has the edge thanks to his experience. But if Vidal can stay healthy and catch up to the pro speed? Things could get very interesting, very fast. Whoever wins the job, they need to click early. Because Harris’ return? Up in the air.
Jim Harbaugh’s silence on Harris is making it worse
Harris was placed on the non-football injury list after a Fourth of July fireworks mishap caused what his agent called a “superficial” (you’re probably tired of this word) eye injury. What really stings? It isn’t the injury itself; it’s the silence around it. Silence from the Chargers, Jim Harbaugh, his agents, and Harris himself. Even insiders like Mike Florio have no idea about a possible return timeline. The hosts aren’t too big on this silence.
“Feels like they might be underselling the severity of it. It doesn’t feel superficial at this point it feels like that has last a little longer and Jim wouldn’t commit to him coming back to training camp. We haven’t even seen him. That to me makes me feel like this is way more severe than everyone is letting on,” David said.
GM Joe Hortiz gave the fans a hint of hope, saying Najee Harris was in good spirits and expected back before Week 1. But Jim Harbaugh? Vague as ever. When asked if Harris would be back on the field before the end of camp (Aug. 8), Harbaugh shrugged it off with classic coach-speak: “I don’t know… Approaching it better today than yesterday… Healing, he’s healing… doing everything that he can.”
Even when Najee Harris finally made an appearance at camp, it didn’t exactly clear things up. Dressed in a hoodie and shades, he stayed on the sidelines, watching quietly without offering a hint about what’s actually going on. And for fans already uneasy, it just added fuel to the fire. If it’s truly nothing serious… why all the secrecy?
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