T
he Los Angeles Chargers are 3-0 for the first time since 2002 and are legit Super Bowl contenders at this point in the season, but they will have to navigate the rest of 2025 without one of their biggest free agent signings. Tearing his achilles during the Chargers‘ week three win over the Denver Broncos, running back Najee Harris is out for the rest of the campaign.
Losing Harris is a major blow to the Chargers‘ offense, who signed Harris not only to form a two-headed monster at running back, but also to provide another offensive weapon for quarterback Justin Herbert. But Harris being out does not only affect the team’s offensive plans, but it also severely affects the contract that Harris signed this past offseason.
Harris Will Lose a Lot of Money
Harris signed a one-year, $5.25 million fully guaranteed contract with the Chargers this offseason but since he is out for the rest of the season, he misses out on a $4 million incentive that he would have received had he reached certain rushing thresholds. If he had earned that extra $4 million, his contract would have reached up to $9.25 million.
But Harris’ injury also complicates next offseason for him since he is slated to become a free agent once again. Never missing a game during the first four seasons of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers while surpassing 1,000 yards rushing every season during that span, Harris is a reliable running back but only averaging 3.9 yards per carry for his career, he is not elite. His contract with the Chargers was meant to be a prove-it deal and set him up for a big market next spring. But now, it is uncertain what type of market Harris will have– which could lead to him signing another one-year deal.
Harris’ Injury and How it Affects the Chargers
Harris’ injury is a huge blow for a team that was looking to improve its run game after struggling last season. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has always had offenses that run the ball well, but last season, the Chargers ranked near the bottom of the league in running the ball. Adding Harris was supposed to help with that while allowing rookie Omarion Hampton to develop. But now, the Chargers will turn to Hampton to become the team’s workhorse in the backfield. Harbaugh spoke on Monday after the Chargers‘ win and despite Hampton being a young rookie, did not sound too worried about putting more on the former North Carolina star’s plate.
“What somebody does speaks so loudly that you don’t have to hear what they say,” Harbaugh said. “That’s the case with him, the way he trains, the way he practices. What you saw in that game [Sunday] … the competitive fire, the fierceness, the acceleration through the holes. There’s no fear. He’s a real football player.”
The Chargers will look to improve to 4-0 in week four when they hit the road to face the New York Giants on Sept. 28 at MetLife Stadium. Kickoff will be at 1 p.m. (ET) and will air on CBS.
Chargers’ Najee Harris Set to Forfeit a Large Sum of Money Due to Injury