San Diego Chargers Roster Breakdown: Running Backs

Is Ryan Mathews on the verge of a
breakout season?

Charger Madness will be featuring position breakdowns for the entire team over the next several posts. Today we will be breaking down the running backs.

Losses: Mike Tolbert

Additions: Le'Ron McClain, Edwin Baker, Michael Hayes, Mohamed Marah

Returning: Ryan Mathews, Jacob Hester, Curtis Brinkley

Projected Starters: Ryan Mathews (HB), Le'Ron McClain (FB)

By and large, the Chargers will have a good ground game this year. Perhaps one of the most underrated acquisitions for the Chargers in free agency was Le'Ron McClain. Here is a player by player breakdown of the Chargers running backs as they now stand.

Ryan Mathews: Mathews is a player who seems to be right on the edge of doing some great things. He does have injury issues, but he has potential to be great. With the departure of Mike Tolbert, Mathews is going to have more of a lone wolf role this year. I expect McClain, Hester, and company to all get some carries, but the team will be asking for more from Mathews. He enters the season as the firm starter for the Chargers. A 1200 yard season sounds reasonable. Throw in around 40-50 catches again, and he should be a serious threat for the Chargers.

Le'Ron McClain: McClain is set to be the starting fullback for the Chargers and will be blasting holes for Mathews to run through. McClain can hold his own carrying the ball and will most likely see more carries the closer the team gets to the goal line.

Jacob Hester: Hester is a true team player that came back at a reduced price and role to stay a Charger. He will still see some carries but will be most valuable on special teams. He will be the backup to McClain at fullback and can contribute on the ground in a pinch.

Curtis Brinkley: At the moment, Brinkley is the backup to Mathews. He did well last year during limited carries, but he is clearly the backup. I look for him to have a chance to once again step in for a game or two due to Mathews propensity to get injured. All in all, he is a decent backup for the team.

Edwin Baker: Baker was the final pick for the Chargers in the 2012 NFL Draft. He excelled in pass blocking and is a tough and hard runner. While he doesn't have the best top end speed, he can contribute in  a number of ways. He may be a special teamer this year, but he has a chance to knck Brinkley down the depth charts.

Mohamed Marah: Marah is most likey a camp body at this point. The team is already set at fullback, so there seems to be little need to keep him around. The thing about Marah that may keep him around is his defensive experience, which could translate well into a solid special teams performer. He played fullback his first two years of college before switching to defensive end. He is a versatile player. Players like him are always a question mark. It really just depends on his potential and how the Chargers use it.

Michael Hayes: This is another intriguing prospect brought in for the Chargers. Hayes had great success while at Houston, but some wonder how much of that was from the passing game being so dangerous. I tend to think that he is a good player, at least collegiately, but he is not a hot commodity in camp. He will have to fight his way onto the roster, but he may end up as a practice squad player.

Chargers Draft Prospects: Robert Turbin

San Diego lost Mike Tolbert to the Carolina Panthers, leaving them to return closer to home for a reduced offer. San Diego has been rumored to be looking at 4 free agents to replace him, but it is very possible that the Chargers may target a back in the draft as a replacement for Tolbert. It is possible that Utah State running back Robert Turbin may be considered by the Chargers.

Position: RB
Height: 5' 10''
Weight: 222 pounds

Pros: Turbin has been turning heads at Utah State for several years. He is not a one year wonder. Turbin possesses great upper body strength, which he uses to excel at running between the tackles as well as picking up blitzes. He has strong leg drive and surprising agility and acceleration when heading upfield for a back his size. Turbin can also catch the ball out of the backfield, adding another skill to what he can bring to the team. His ability to deliver a strong impact may very well help him contribute on special teams as well.

Cons: While Turbin does possess good speed for a back his size, he still doesn't have great top end speed. He also doesn't possess lateral agility, but that is to be expected with a bigger back. it very well is something that he could improve over time. What is most concerning is Turbin's injury report. He missed all of 2010 with an ACL injury and had a foot injury in 2007. These injuries are much easier to recover from today, but it will still be enough for a team to consult with their doctors extensively.

Turbin brings several skill sets to the table, filling the role of goal-line back, receiver out of the backfield, at minimum a good spell back, and possibly contribute on special teams. Turbin is a back who may be drafted later in the draft due to the limited value placed on running backs in the now pass happy NFL. Adding Turbin for a minimal investment could pay huge dividends for the team. It will be interesting to see how San Diego approaches the draft and the remaining free agency class.

San Diego Resigns Backup TE Randy McMichael

San Diego has brought back reserve tight end Randy McMichael. To me, this seems to be a great move. With the injury history of Antonio Gates, McMichael has seen plenty of playing time the past few seasons. San Diego also brings back a veteran who can help mentor a young tight end if the Chargers want to go that route in the draft. People often forget that McMichael was a very successful tight end for the Dolphins and Rams. Being able to learn from both him and Gates would only seem to be a benefit to a young player. McMichael was used heavily as a blocker, and with the addition of LeRon McClain, I expect San Diego to have a much improved running game.

With free agency still grinding on, most big names have been signed, with the exception of the restricted free agent market. Now the challenge is to find quality depth and value for the right price. San Diego has done a good job bringing in quality players at positions of needs and resigning the two most important pieces of the offensive line. The biggest hole that the team still has is in the backfield. With Mike Tolbert still visiting teams, San Diego very well might need to look elsewhere for a reserve running back. While a player like Green-Ellis would be great, they will command to much money. I expect the team to either find value in the later rounds of the draft and develop talent if they can't resign Tolbert.