Update: The LA Chargers have officially signed Sony Michel.
The LA Chargers officially cut the roster down to 53 players on Tuesday and as expected, the Bolts are carrying four running backs on the depth chart into the season. The depth behind Austin Ekeler is still less than ideal, especially considering Isaiah Spiller is banged up with an ankle injury heading into his rookie year.
Running back became a prominent point of discussion during cuts not because of who the Chargers were going to cut but because of the other backs throughout the league that could be cut and brought in.
One potential addition for the Lakers is Sony Michel, who was cut by the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday. It didn't take long for the Chargers to reach out to Michel, as the former first-round pick is meeting with the Bolts in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Free agent RB Sony Michel is flying to Los Angeles for a meeting with the #Chargers today, sources say. A surprise release by the #Dolphins, Michel could find work quickly for a team that has looked to bolster its RB room. ✈️
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 31, 2022
Michel was released by the Dolphins, not waived, so the Chargers do not have to go through the waiver process to get him. There are no hoops to jump through. The team will simply sign him if they decide they are interested.
The LA Chargers absolutely SHOULD sign Sony Michel.
To be fair, I am not the biggest fan of Sony Michel and have never really been that big of a fan. If you look at his baseline numbers you will see someone with over 800 rushing yards last season and think that he is a viable, true no. 2 behind Austin Ekeler.
That really is not the case entirely as that yard total is deceiving. Michel's tape has never been that impressive in the NFL and he has lacked that dynamic dual-threat ability that was expected out of him coming into the league.
The Chargers are not going to elevate Michel into being some back that he has not been thus far in his career. If he could not figure it out in New England or with the Rams he suddenly is not going to be great with the Bolts.
That being said, he would still be a more valuable depth option than what the team currently has. While Michel might not be great, he is still a far better option than Larry Rountree and that is what makes this signing a no-brainer for the Chargers.
Rountree has done nothing to cement his spot on the roster and the Chargers should not favor him simply because they drafted him in 2021. If there is a better option on the market, which there is, the team should not hesitate to make it happen.
Michel is simply better than Rountree. There is no debate. It is also valuable to have someone with the experience that Michel has in the running back room. Michel has been part of two different Super Bowl runs. Getting someone who has reached the mountaintop in two different situations can be extremely beneficial to the team.
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Unless there is another free-agent running back that the Chargers like more, it would be quite silly to not sign Michel in favor of Rountree.