The Chargers have spent the offseason reshaping the offense, and that change could open the door for a familiar name at running back.
With Mike McDaniel in place as offensive coordinator and Chris O'Leary back as defensive coordinator, Los Angeles is heading toward training camp later in July with a roster that looks fairly settled in a lot of spots. The real battles figure to come in places like cornerback and linebacker.
Running back, though, is a little different. The top end of that room is mostly set, which is exactly why the Chargers could afford to take a swing on a veteran insurance policy.
Omarion Hampton, Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal are expected to lead the rotation. Behind them, the depth chart already includes Jaret Patterson and Amar Johnson, and 2026 undrafted Memphis back Greg Desrosiers Jr. is also in the mix.
Patterson got extended time on the active roster in 2025, while Johnson was active and played snaps in one game that season. Both were needed because injuries forced the Chargers to lean on depth, and that kind of attrition is part of the job at running back more than anywhere else.
That reality matters even more now because the new offense is built to get playmakers into space. Under McDaniel, the backs should be more involved as receivers, with yards after the catch becoming a bigger piece of the puzzle than it was under Greg Roman. That makes the room more valuable - and also makes a veteran pass-catching back more appealing.
Austin Ekeler is the obvious name.
He remains one of the best undrafted free agents in Chargers history, a productive receiving back who was often asked to do things that didn’t always fit his skill set. After the Chargers moved on and brought in Roman with his expected power rushing approach, Ekeler spent 2024 and 2025 with the Washington Commanders. His second season there ended quickly when he tore his Achilles in Week 2 of the 2025 season.
Now, though, he’s back in play. Ekeler has rehabbed, recovered and is believed to be fully cleared to return to football activities. As one report put it:
Veteran free agent running back Austin Ekeler is fully 100% medically cleared for all football activities from the torn Achilles suffered last September vs. #Packers, per #NFL source, and intends to play this season.
Expected to draw solid interest. One of the premier…
At age 31, Ekeler is not the same player he once was. But that doesn’t erase the fit.
If the Chargers want another experienced back in camp, he brings exactly the kind of receiving and chain-moving ability that can matter in this offense when he’s healthy. And because he’s a vested veteran, he could land on the practice squad without going through waivers if he needs more time to get right and provide depth later.
For Los Angeles, it’s the kind of low-risk move that makes sense if both sides want it. The room has three primary backs, but all three missed time in 2025 because of injury. That alone makes a reunion with Ekeler look like a gamble worth considering.
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