The start of NFL free agency has not gone how LA Chargers fans were hoping. Outside of the team re-signing Khalil Mack, the Chargers have not hit any of the checkpoints that fans wanted to see this offseason.
Los Angeles lost out on both DK Metcalf and Davante Adams (on the same day) and now have to thumb through a disappointing wide receiver market with Chris Godwin off the board. If that wasn't bad enough, the Chargers also lost impactful free agent Poona Ford, who signed with the LA Rams on a manageable deal.
The bad news isn't stopping. Los Angeles has missed out on several key players and is potentially focusing on the wrong options. Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris has reportedly started saying his goodbyes to his teammates and according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Chargers are a team to watch for him.
Chargers tied to Steelers' Najee Harris after missing out on key free agents
Harris is a big name in this league and on the surface, he may seem like a good running back to replace J.K. Dobbins. After all, Harris has ran the ball for more than 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons in the league.
That means he is a great running back, right? Well, not so much.
Surface-level numbers do not tell the entire story so it is unfair to just look at his rushing yards total as an indication of his talent level. More damning numbers include his 3.9 yards per carry average last season, or the fact the had just three more explosive runs than J.K. Dobbins despite having 68 more carries.
It's also important to note Harris was a first-round pick who the Steelers could have kept in 2025 with his fifth-year option. It's never a great sign when a team declines a fifth-year rookie option, especially a team like the Steelers that prioritizes the ground game.
Harris doesn't bring anything to the table that Dobbins doesn't already have other than durability. As value as durability is, though, past durability does not mean anything for future durability, especially with running backs. The odds of Harris tweaking an ankle or a knee is just as high as Dobbins, who was mostly healthy in 2024.
Dobbins averaged 0.7 more yards per carry and was a catalyst of the Chargers' offense when he was healthy. He will also cost less than Harris and won't factor into the team's compensatory pick formula, which makes him an even better option.
With Dobbins sitting right there for the taking, and with a talented running back class in 2025, there is no reason for the Chargers to spend on who might be the most expensive free-agent running back this offseason.
Harris' actual numbers are not worth the value that comes with his name as a former first-round pick. It will be disappointing if this is the big move the Chargers make after missing on other big moves.