The Chargers got a reminder Thursday night that a running back room can look a lot deeper on paper than it does on the field.
Los Angeles was routed 41-17 by the San Francisco 49ers, and the ground game never found much rhythm. Outside of one big burst, the offense struggled to create anything of substance on the ground, and the backs fighting for roster spots did not do much to change the conversation.
Greg Desrosiers Jr. finished with 21 yards on four carries, the best mark among the group. Jaret Patterson had seven yards on three attempts, Kimani Vidal posted six yards on four carries, and Keaton Mitchell was held to negative-one yard on three carries.
Amar Johnson, who had stood out in the preseason opener, also ended up at negative-one yard on two carries. Omarion Hampton was limited to negative-one yard on one carry.
The Chargers’ biggest run of the night came from an unexpected source. Backup quarterback Trey Lance ripped off a 37-yard gain and ended with 42 yards on two attempts, easily the most explosive rushing output in the game for Los Angeles.
That matters because the Chargers entered the preseason with a backfield that looked interesting. Hampton is projected to lead the group, while Mitchell and Vidal are essentially locked in behind him. Patterson, Desrosiers and Johnson are all trying to earn opportunities beyond that.
There are still reasons to think this group can look better than it did against San Francisco. Mitchell has real burst and speed when he’s healthy.
Vidal has already flashed in his young career. Desrosiers has been one of the more intriguing undrafted players in the mix and had shown promise in the preseason opener.
But the larger question is what happens if Hampton has to miss time. In that scenario, the Chargers probably can’t count on one back to simply step in and duplicate his production. They would need multiple players to contribute.
Thursday’s performance was a rough one, but it’s also only one preseason game. San Francisco’s defense is talented, and preseason rotations can make it hard to draw firm conclusions. The Chargers also weren’t exactly handing their reserve backs ideal conditions.
So yes, there’s some concern. Just not panic.
What really matters now is whether Los Angeles can find two or three backs who can produce with consistency before the regular season starts. If Hampton stays healthy, this game may fade into the background as just another ugly preseason stat line. If he doesn’t, the Chargers will need somebody behind him to prove Thursday was the exception.
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From a Chargers perspective, it is the kind of development that matters because the division keeps churning out pieces on defense, and Robinson is starting to sound like one of the more intriguing ones in Denver. The AFC West has also featured other camp notes, including Teair Tarts growing presence for the Chargers and Kayode Awosika appearing to have the edge in Miamis left guard battle, but Robinsons trajectory is the one that could matter most if his progress keeps pointing upward. [Read more 🡒]