Having a good running back is synonymous with the LA Chargers. The Bolts had one of the greatest running backs of all time in LaDainian Tomlinson, who was replaced by an above-average Ryan Mathews, who was replaced by an above-average Melvin Gordon, who was replaced by an above-average Austin Ekeler.
Ekeler is the only running back of that quartet that does not have a Pro Bowl nod under his belt but it will come. He very well should have been a Pro Bowler in 2019 and was putting up Pro Bowl numbers in 2020 but did not play a full season.
While Ekeler is still obviously on the team, the running back position could become an issue for the Chargers this season. Luckily, running the ball is not as important as it once was, but this could be the one big hole on the roster that holds the offense back from reaching its ceiling.
The LA Chargers need everything to go right with the running back position.
If everything goes right then the offense will have a nice balance and that will open up the passing game even further. If it does not go right then the Chargers will have a one-dimensional offense and that is easy to scheme against once you face the best teams in the league.
It might not be a concern to fans right now but there are two reasons why the running back position could be a big issue for the Bolts in 2021.
1. Austin Ekeler’s health and lack of experience getting true RB1 reps
Austin Ekeler is far from injury-prone but he did have a substantial injury in his first year as the Chargers bonafide featured halfback. Ekeler suffered both a hamstring and knee injury that kept him out for six games of the season.
Injuries with running backs are always concerning as the shelf life for a running back is extremely small. All it takes is one injury to start a regression trend and before you know it you are not watching the same running back.
Luckily for the Chargers, Ekeler returned to form when he returned from injury, so regression does not appear to be in the cards.
However, there is something to be said about Ekeler’s lack of experience being a featured back. Ekeler split time with Melvin Gordon until Gordon left before the 2020 season. Ekeler then got hurt in his first chance of getting those big number of snaps.
Ekeler does so much for this offense. He is not only tasked with being the main ball-carrier but he is also being tasked to be one of the biggest weapons in the passing game as well. That is a lot to ask of one running back and last season it took its toll.
Ekeler has to be asked to do all of that for another reason: the other running backs on the roster.
2. The LA Chargers do not have reliable depth behind Austin Ekeler
If Austin Ekeler gets injured then the LA Chargers are going to be in a daunting situation. This is exactly what happened to the team last season as we saw players such as Troymaine Pope and Kalen Ballage getting the bulk of carries for the team.
The running backs behind Ekeler simply cannot be trusted. Could they surprise us all and turn out to be quality depth? Absolutely. Should we be banking on that to be the reality? Not at all.
Justin Jackson has potential but he definitely deserves the injury-prone tag. Jackson cannot stay healthy, and really, has shown so little that his potential might not even amount to anything. He had a good game against Pittsburgh three years ago. We get it. Maybe we shouldn’t give him credit for that anymore.
Behind him is Joshua Kelley, who was statistically the worst running back in the entire league last season. While Kelley is young, as someone who watched all 16 games last season, I simply do not see it with the former UCLA Bruin.
I would love to be proven wrong, but I do not think Kelley gets past his rookie contract in the league. It was a bad pick when it happened that has been made worse by the outcome.
Then we have Larry Rountree, who was a surprising selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. Rountree has potential, as does any rookie running back, but trusting a late-round running back to be the saving grace of the running back depth in year one is quite the ask.
There is no reliability there. If it does not go perfectly, the running back position is extremely flawed.