Najee Harris hasn't exactly had the best start to his time with the Los Angeles Chargers. He's been out for the entirety of training camp due to a fireworks incident on July 4th and may not be ready for the start of the regular season.
He sits firmly behind Omarion Hampton on the depth chart despite logging four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
If Harris is going to be a major contributor in Los Angeles, he needs a change of fortune. Perhaps bringing in his former teammate could help him get back on the right track.
Chargers can reunite Darnell Washington with Najee Harris if he gets cut
Harris isn't the most explosive back in the league. In over 1,000 career rushing attempts, he's never had a run of more than 40 yards. He doesn't have breakaway speed, but he consistently picks up the yardage his blockers create for him.
Maybe bringing in one of his best blockers from his time in Pittsburgh would help maximize his impact with the Chargers. In a recent article, CBS Sports writer Jeff Kerr put together a list of veterans in danger of being cut after the preseason. Steelers tight end Darnell Washington made the list.
According to Kerr, "If the Steelers keep four tight ends, Washington is on the roster. If they keep three, the third spot is between Washington and [Connor] Heyward."
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Listed at 6'6" and 264 pounds (he's probably closer to 300), Washington isn't your typical tight end. He's a force as a run blocker. The Steelers often used him in two-tight-end sets as an extra blocker in their rushing attack. Washington's physicality was a big part of Harris's success in Pittsburgh.
But he's not just a run blocker. The big tight end had 200 receiving yards in 2024, including a red-zone touchdown against the Denver Broncos.
Washington is still a work in progress as a player. He isn't as refined a route runner as he should be at this point in his career, and his freakish athleticism hasn't yet turned into on-field production. But he could be a contributor in a Chargers tight end group that lacks a defined starter.
Will Dissly, Tyler Conklin, and Oronde Gadsden should all have roles to play for LA this season. Behind them, Tucker Fisk and Stevo Klotz are fighting to make the roster. If the Chargers plan to roster four tight ends this season, Washington could be the perfect player to slot into this run-heavy system.
And he might just help Najee Harris get things going in LA.