Training camp is approaching and with a few more weeks of dead time in the NFL offseason, Chargers Wire is documenting each of Los Angeles’ players before it kicks off.
Running back Isaiah Spiller enters his second season with the Chargers. After being selected in the fourth round in 2022, Spiller was largely redshirted in year one. The Texas A&M prospect had just 18 carries for 41 yards in 2022.
Spiller was part of a 2022 draft class that was slow-rolled in their development outside of Zion Johnson and Jamaree Salyer. The rookie running back only played in six games last season. The other 11 games included two DNPs and nine gameday inactives.
In his last collegiate season, Spiller was fairly dominant. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry on 1011 rushing yards. In addition to that, Spiller had nearly 200 receiving yards and seven total scrimmage touchdowns.
Spiller should be projected to play a larger role than he did in his rookie season, but the question is his ceiling. Can he make a legitimate push to get the RB2 role behind Ekeler over Joshua Kelley? Could it be a balanced 2A, 2B situation with him and Kelley? Or, on the lower end of outcomes, is Spiller still a distant third on the depth chart?
The Chargers have banked quite a bit on Spiller developing this season. They have not made a running back signing this offseason and no running backs were selected by LA in the 2023 NFL draft. With Kelley and Ekeler potentially not back with the team next year, all eyes will be on Spiller to see if he can represent the future of the position for the Bolts.
2023 Contract:
- Value: $4.4 million ($1.1 million APY)
- Fully Guaranteed Money: $736K
- Free Agency (UFA): 2026
Acquired: Spiller enters his second season with the Chargers in 2023 after being drafted out of Texas A&M in last year’s fourth round of the draft.
Quote: Brandon Staley on Spiller’s inactives last season:
“He needs to prove that he’s one of the top 3 backs, and I think he’s making progress.. He’s in practice and we’re seeing him compete. We’re seeing him in the kicking game, and when he’s one of our top 3 backs, then he’ll be up on game day.”
Highlight:
ISAIAH SPILLER COULD NOT BE TACKLED 😤 pic.twitter.com/sVyN0hAq1q
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 10, 2020
