Bolts From The Blue
The Chargers land their next running back in free agency. How good of a deal is it?
One of the more common trends among NFL mock drafts as of late had the Los Angeles Chargers snagging a running back in the first round. With free agency freshly open and the Chargers aggressively snagging the top running back on the market, it’s safe to say that won’t happen now.
With a freshly inked 1-year deal worth up to $9.25 million, Harris becomes the certified alpha on the Chargers rushing attack. While the contract is not long term nor is it one that will turn heads as far as big money goes, this signals that Harris is going to carry the load this season and attempt to earn a multi-year deal moving forward.
Harris has been the bell cow for the Pittsburgh Steelers his entire NFL career, rushing for over 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons. Though his numbers aren’t eye-popping, Harris has been a consistent and enduring back for a team that has built themselves off his back offensively. With the Chargers moving into the era of run first football, the Harris marriage seems like one that makes total sense, and one should expect Harris to continue his 1,000-yard streak in California.
Harris could have been a severe overpay given the recent market trends on running backs but the Chargers manage to land him on a fairly reasonable number with zero long term commitment. This means Harris is further incentivized to produce and that the Chargers will get priority in signing him to an extension next season should he produce as the teams hopes. This is a solid signing and fills a major hole for a team looking to establish themselves as a physical behemoth in the AFC West.
