Harbaugh Finds Perfect Running Back
Jim Harbaugh football is tough rigged, and hard-hitting football. During his time with the San Francisco 49ers and Michigan Wolverines, Harbaugh instilled a culture that would wear teams down as the game went on. These teams consisted of having a running back that is big and a tough runner. Joe Hortiz acknowledged that and signed probably the best running back on the market for Harbaugh to start elevating that culture.
After releasing Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, being a free agent, the Los Angeles Chargers had their top two running backs not on the roster as we entered the NFL New League Year. Hours into free agency, the Chargers reached an agreement with former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris. The former first-round pick has been known for his durability and hard short-yardage running. Harris, in his four-year career, has topped over 1,000 rushing yards every single season, a feat that only 13 other players have reached. Also, Harris has not missed a single game in his career, while Dobbins and Edwards missed a combined 10 games for the Bolts last season.
The durability and toughness that Harris brings are great for what the Chargers want to do, especially in a Greg Roman offense. Strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert prides in getting his group ready for finishing hard in the fourth quarter of games. Herbert is going to love Harris because he shines in the fourth quarter, where having an effective run game is crucial to control the clock. The one knock when looking at Harris is his yards-per-carry. He is averaging just four yards per carry, but this can be skewed because of how much volume he is getting. Harris has gotten over 250 carries in every season of his career. Another not-so-encouraging thing about Harris is his career-long carry is just 37 yards. He does not carry the home run ability but is lethal in getting short yards.
Harbaugh and the Chargers have found their running back for the season. They finally have a guy they can trust handling the ball, and he should be a lot of help in the red zone. The Chargers would really benefit from finding a home run back who could complement Harris. Thankfully for them, the NFL Draft is loaded at running back and has encouraging prospects that could pair great with Harris.
