The Los Angeles Chargers haven't really made a blockbuster signing so far this offseason. They've filled positions of need, bringing in Tyler Biadasz to take over center duties and adding Charlie Kolar as an additional tight end among other minor signings.
But perhaps their most exciting signing has been their addition of Keaton Mitchell, who showed speed and explosiveness on limited snaps through his three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. Mitchell was non-tendered by the Ravens at the expiration of his rookie deal, meaning that he will not factor into the compensatory pick formula for Los Angeles.
But there's a plethora of reasons why Mitchell is a strong signing that go beyond that. With both Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal already cemented as in the Chargers' running back room for 2026, Mitchell provides a change of pace that will help Mike McDaniel to implement the outside-zone run scheme that was so successful during his tenure in Miami.
Mitchell's signing, however, also presents a serious question Los Angeles will need to answer. How will they distribute snaps among their three running backs?
Keaton Mitchell will be RB3 for the Chargers in 2026
For any team looking to have a dominant run game, having three capable running backs is a non-negotiable. Mitchell provides that for the Chargers.
Omarion Hampton will certainly take on RB1 duties this season. He's the most dynamic playmaker in their backfield, having amassed 545 rushing yards and four touchdowns through just nine games. But he hasn't quite proved himself yet as a bell-cow back. He missed seven games in 2025 with an ankle injury, and Kimani Vidal stepped up in his absence.
In Hampton's absence, Vidal amassed 525 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. He earned the right to a serious share of the snaps in 2026. While Hampton will be the bona-fide RB1, it's realistic that the Chargers will share snaps relatively equally between Hampton and Vidal to mitigate any risk of injury. For much of the season, we could see a 1A-1B situation between the two running backs.
If Hampton establishes himself as the sole RB1, Mitchell has a real shot to challenge Vidal for the RB2 spot. He saw just 59 touches in Baltimore last season, but he posted 341 yards and 54.2% success rate on those opportunities. If Vidal regresses at all and Mitchell impresses in the early portions of the season, he could quickly eat at some of Vidal's snaps.
But Mitchell could also take on special-teams duties for Los Angeles, expanding his overall impact but limiting the touches he'll see in the regular course of the offense. In all likelihood, therefore, we will not see a major overhaul of the Chargers' RB room in 2026.
Hampton will be the clear RB1, while Vidal will take on RB2 duties with a chance to split snaps with Hampton. For now, this leaves Mitchell as the RB3, albeit with a shot to earn more opportunities than he did in Baltimore.