The Chargers’ first two makes an attempt at drafting a working again to take a few of the load off Austin Ekeler’s shoulders haven’t gone so properly.
Larry Rountree III, drafted within the sixth spherical out of Missouri in 2021 with the hope he’d be a forceful short-yardage again, was inactive by mid-October. He had 36 carries for 87 yards, all by Nov. 21, and one reception for minus-one yard. He ended the season totally on particular groups responsibility.
Joshua Kelley, drafted within the fourth spherical out of UCLA in 2020, did little to impress in his second season with 33 carries for 102 yards and 5 catches for 38 yards. He performed 10 video games and has a two-season common of three.17 yards per carry.
A 3rd whiff at drafting a working again to enhance the 5-foot-10, 200-pound Ekeler this season logically would pressure the Chargers to make a commerce — because the Rams did final August in buying Sony Michel, who led them in regular-season speeding yards — or have a look at different groups’ late roster cuts so as to add a veteran backup.
Within the meantime, the Chargers are hoping somebody will emerge in coaching camp to win the No. 2 working again job, a contest that may ramp up once they start common practices in pads and face tacklers and gamers could be evaluated in particular groups roles.
“We’re going to offer them each alternative to show themselves,” coach Brandon Staley mentioned of the No. 2 working again candidates. “That’s what this coaching camp goes to be about for that place.”
The most recent contender is 2022 fourth-round draft choose Isaiah Spiller of Texas A&M, who was interesting to the Chargers partly as a result of he confirmed versatility as a junior by speeding for 1,011 yards in 179 carries and making 25 catches for 189 yards.
Spiller has been getting steerage and inspiration from Ekeler, who made the roster as an undrafted free agent out of Western Colorado College in 2017 and labored his method up from particular groups to backing up Melvin Gordon after which to an important and featured spot.
“Simply to see him develop, it’s loopy and it’s an incredible story,” Spiller mentioned after a observe in Costa Mesa final week. “So, it’s simply studying from him, his mindset, the way in which he thinks, the way in which he carries himself. I’m simply selecting up on issues like that, for positive.
“I’m simply coming in every single day, proving my value to the crew, that I’m an asset and the crew wants me. I’m taking it day-to-day, studying, listening to what Austin’s acquired to say, working the performs. I’ve nonetheless acquired to point out all that. It’s a course of. I’m simply having fun with the method.”
Ekeler compiled career-best totals final season with 206 speeding makes an attempt, 911 yards, and 12 speeding touchdowns. He additionally had 70 receptions for 647 yards and eight touchdowns, matching a profession excessive. He performed 16 video games, which was encouraging after he was restricted to 10 video games in 2020 due to hamstring and knee issues.
Staley mentioned he doesn’t see Ekeler’s position altering even when somebody emerges to take some touches away. “Hopefully, we will do much more with him,” Staley mentioned.
However offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi is conscious of the pounding Ekeler routinely absorbs and of the potential affect of dropping him to harm.
“I’m not anticipating any type of dip in utilization of him. However, like every working again, until you’re 250 kilos, generally there’s a pitch depend on these guys,” Lombardi mentioned.
“He’s not somebody that you just wish to lose midway by means of the season since you overused them. Simply being sensible with what number of occasions he’s getting hit each recreation is one thing that it's a must to control. And so we’re going to depend on these different guys to choose up the slack when he’s not in there.”
That’s asking for lots.
Ekeler, 27, mentioned the working backs have been aggressive and he welcomes being pushed by them, however his versatility provides him an enormous edge.
“It’s my job so as to add as a lot worth as I can, not solely within the working again spot however out within the slot and type of all around the subject,” he mentioned. “I believe that’s the place I've a variety of worth in my recreation is you possibly can just about put me wherever and I’ll have some sort of worth on the runs deep down the sphere, velocity, whether or not you need me working throughout the center or whether or not you wish to hand the ball to me, throw to me, have me as a decoy going a method for a display screen sort of factor. I’m going to be environment friendly wherever you place me.”
Wherever they put him, it’s important he avoids main harm — and that he has a backup who could make vital contributions.
“If we’ve acquired a man who’s proven that he’s a predominant runner, can actually pound the rock and is absolutely sturdy at that, perhaps stronger than I'm, then it’s like we will nonetheless see him, however I nonetheless myself being on the sphere on the similar time,” Ekeler mentioned, recalling that he and Gordon break up carries in 2019.
“So far as my load, yeah, perhaps it might be altered just a little bit, however I don’t assume it’ll go down. I believe it'll simply look just a little bit completely different, if something.”
The extra it appears to be like like a robust 1-2 punch at working again, the higher the Chargers’ probabilities of qualifying for the playoffs.
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