Let's get one thing straight. The Los Angeles Chargers shouldn't trade Kimani Vidal this year unless it proves an absolute necessity.
With Omarion Hampton set for a healthy campaign and Keaton Mitchell in the fold, Vidal makes the Chargers' RB room one of the most viable in the league. His physicality and north-south skill-set provide a perfect complement to the burst and explosiveness of his two counterparts in the Los Angeles backfield. While his role will likely be minimized, at least compared to the hefty workload he took on last season in the absence of Hampton and Najee Harris, he'll still have a role to play under Mike McDaniel's offense.
But given the way that McDaniel's offense leans into the burst and explosiveness required for the outside zone run, there will certainly be RB-needy teams sniffing around the Chargers roster to see if they're willing to part with Vidal. To this point, none of that buzz has risen to the surface.
But in Bleacher Report's recent piece suggesting trades for each team ahead of 2026, Vidal naturally was the Chargers' prime trade candidate. NFL Writer Moe Moton suggested, both for the Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals, that Vidal be swapped for a late-round 2027 draft pick.
For now, this suggestion can simply be set to the side. But if moving Vidal proves a necessity, the Bengals could easily be the first team lining up at the door.
Kimani Vidal would be a boon to any RB-needy team in 2026
In 2025, Vidal was a revelation for the Chargers offense. The run game wasn't ultimately that efficient even when Hampton and Harris were healthy, and Vidal's presence didn't fix the deficiencies in Greg Roman's scheme or on the interior offensive line. But between Weeks 6 and 13, Vidal helped keep the Chargers offense afloat, posting 569 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 131 attempts.
For a team like the Bengals, who desperately need depth behind their lead running back in Chase Brown, a move for Vidal could make perfect sense. Currently, Cincinnati has Samaje Perine as their only other back with significant NFL experience. Tahj Brooks, who seems lined up to be RB3, took 16 touches last season and averaged just 2.8 yards-per-attempt.
From the Bengals' perspective, swapping a Day 3 pick for a player with Vidal's immediate upside is a no-brainer.
But it's a less clear-cut move for Los Angeles. The Chargers spent a sixth-round selection on Vidal in 2024. They have control of him as a restricted free agent until he completes his fourth NFL season. Unless the pick the Bengals— or another RB-needy team like the New York Giants or Tennessee Titans— is willing to provide is significantly higher than that, there's not much upside in the move for Joe Hortiz and company.
Los Angeles has also seen how quickly injuries can decimate a backfield, and having the insurance of Vidal there is likely valuable to them.
At the same time, though, Hampton and Mitchell are likely locked down as the team's RB1 and RB2 at least until the end of next season. If Vidal is unhappy in his role, or it becomes clear that he can be replaced by a practice-squad addition, perhaps it would be right to move him in exchange for late-round draft capital.
If that happens, expect Cincinnati to come calling. But don't expect Los Angeles to open that door quickly.
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