Tag: Gus Edwards Chargers

PFF’s running back rankings: Does any Chargers player make the cut?

Pro Football Focus recently released their running back rankings and a Chargers player made it.

The Chargers completely revamped the running back room this offseason, moving on from Austin Ekeler, signing two veterans and drafting one.

Pro Football Focus recently released their running back rankings and one of their additions made the cut, with Gus Edwards checking in at No. 31.

The Gus Bus drives on down to Los Angeles, as Gus Edwards is now a Charger. Edwards had a career year in 2023, rushing for 810 yards and 13 touchdowns while earning a 72.3 grade. His yards per attempt dropped to below 5.0 yards per carry for the first time in his career, but Edwards still made a positive impact on the Ravens’ rushing attack.

The task will now be carrying that over to a Chargers offense that has struggled to run the ball in recent years prior to Jim Harbaugh’s arrival. He’s not a big-play threat, but Edwards is an efficient chain-mover.

In an effort to run the ball at a high level, Edward’s play will go a long way to helping achieve that. He ran for 3,395 yards, the most by a Ravens running back over the past six seasons. Last season, Edwards’ 13 touchdown runs were tied for the third most by an NFL running back.

The system familiarity will play a vital role, as Edwards played for Greg Roman in 2019, 2020, and 2022 when he was Baltimore’s offensive coordinator. In those seasons, Edwards averaged at least five yards per carry.

Instant analysis of Chargers’ expected signing of RB Gus Edwards

Here is what the expected signing of Gus Edwards means for the Chargers.

The Chargers’ connections to Baltimore have not been understated, it appears.

With Jim Harbaugh’s brother John coaching the Ravens and GM Joe Hortiz coming over from Baltimore, Chargers fans connected the dots to a number of pending free agents from Baltimore’s playoff squad. On Monday, they nailed one, as former Ravens RB Gus Edwards agreed to terms with Los Angeles on a two-year deal.

Edwards has been a committee back for his entire career, but he rushed for a career-high 810 yards in 2023 despite his per carry averages falling from around 5 to just 4.1 this season. The six-year NFL vet was primarily used as Baltimore’s short yardage back, logging 13 touchdowns in 2023 after combining for 13 in his previous five seasons.

Los Angeles will hope that he can maintain a 700-800-yard clip over the next two seasons. Edwards has hit at least 700 rushing yards in four of his six seasons. In 2021, he missed the entire year with a torn ACL. He played only nine games in the 2022 season, limiting him to only 422 rushing yards. Edwards is also not a premier receiving back, with only 30 career receptions for 374 yards and no touchdowns.

With Edwards in the fold instead of one of free agency’s top backs, the Chargers will likely still target the position somewhat early in this year’s draft to add a more dynamic east-west presence. While new offensive coordinator Greg Roman majors in gap and power runs on the interior, which is where Edwards excels as well, Roman also installed a number of outside zone concepts for runners like JK Dobbins in the later versions of his offenses in Baltimore. Los Angeles lacks a rusher like that on the roster with only Isaiah Spiller and practice squad members returning in 2024.

Blake Corum, Michigan’s star running back widely mocked to the Chargers because of his connection to Harbaugh, does not exactly fit this bill. He’s much more similar to Edwards as a player, and his teammate Donovan Edwards – not in this year’s class – was more of the receiving and outside running option. But a back like USC’s MarShawn Lloyd could be in play as early as the third round. The Chargers hired Lloyd’s college running backs coach Kiel McDonald earlier this offseason to the same position. Other options could include Louisville’s Isaac Guerendo or New Hampshire’s Dylan Laube later in the draft.

Edwards turns 29 in April, a touch above the generally understood running back age curve of 28. But he’s also never been a true feature back, whereas most of the players who hit a wall in their age 28 season typically are. Outside of his torn ACL in 2021, Edwards has also only missed 12 games in five seasons—and a chunk of those were due to ACL recovery that stretched into 2022.

Details on Edwards’ contract were not yet available at the writing of this article, but his salary should not preclude the Chargers from continuing to be active at the margins of free agency.

Chargers agree to terms with RB Gus Edwards

The Chargers have made their first signing of free agency.

The Chargers have made their first signing of free agency, as they agreed to terms with former Ravens running back Gus Edwards, according to several reports.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it’s a two-year deal for Edwards.

Jim Harbaugh said that the Chargers are going to emphasize bolstering the running game, and that starts with bringing in backs to fit Greg Roman’s scheme.

Edwards played for Roman in 2019, 2020 and 2022 when he was the Ravens’ offensive coordinator. In those seasons, Edwards averaged at least five yards per carry. He is coming off his most productive season as a pro, as he finished with 810 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.

As Los Angeles seeks to efficiently pound the rock, Edwards should be the downhill bruiser the offense needs. Isaiah Spiller is on the roster still. Look for them to turn to the draft to bring in another back.

Gus Edwards agrees to a two-year deal with Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers and new head coach Jim Harbaugh are signing Gus Edwards to a two-year deal

Gus Edwards is taking his talents west, agreeing to a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers and new head coach Jim Harbaugh.

In LA, Edwards will be reunited with former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

DeCosta had high praise for Justice Hill and could run it back with Keaton Mitchell rehabbing a torn ACL.

Edwards led Baltimore’s running backs with a career-high 810 yards and 13 touchdowns and had played for the Ravens his entire five-year career.

Hill set career highs in rushing attempts (84) and yards (387) for the second year and finished with three rushing touchdowns. Hill also exceeded his combined career total in targets (39), receptions (28), and receiving yards (206) and scored his first career receiving touchdown in 16 games.