Chargers sign 'outstanding' RB who played for Jim Harbaugh at Michigan

The Los Angeles Chargers bolstered their running back room via the waiver wire on Wednesday afternoon.

The Chargers signed Hassan Haskins , who was cut earlier this week by the Tennessee Titans despite head coach Brian Callahan calling Haskins a "special teams demon."

Haskins knows the scheme of his new team very well. He played for Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh when Harbaugh was the head coach at Michigan.

Haskins had some epic performances for Michigan during his senior season in 2021, rushing for 1,327 yards and 20 touchdowns that season. Haskins' biggest showing was a five-touchdown performance in a 42-27 win over Ohio State.

"They thought they saw a ghost," Harbaugh said after the 2021 win. "They didn’t. It was No. 25 Hassan Haskins."

Haskins brings a physical and brute force style of running to Los Angeles.

"I try not to get tackled by one player," Haskins said in 2021. "I’m always working for extra yards, keep my legs driving."

Haskins will be joining a backfield that includes two free-agent signings from the Baltimore Ravens in Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, a sixth-round selection in Kimani Vidal and four-year journeyman Jaret Patterson.

Haskins, now in his third NFL season, rushed for 93 yards as a rookie, hauled in 11 receptions and returned 19 kickoffs for 414 yards. Haskins didn't appear in a game last season after being put on injured reserve in August.

Even if Haskins is just a small piece to the puzzle for Los Angeles, his special teams prowess and ability to generate yards after contact at 6-foot-2, 228 pounds fits right into its offensive vision.

"Some games, we're going to try to ground and pound. Medieval as we spoke about this spring," Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman said in July. "Some games we're going to air it out, and some games it's going to be a mix."

Haskins being comfortable in the Chargers scheme and his relationship with Harbaugh could lead to instant trust and playing time for an offense that will likely lean heavily on the run this season.

"You can talk about every part of Hassan Haskins’ game and refer to it as 'excellent' and 'outstanding,'" Harbaugh said in November 2021. "Every. Single. Phase."

We'll see if Haskins' career takes an outstanding turn just like it did at Michigan under Harbaugh.