Chargers predicted to trade top free-agent acquisition before he ever plays a down for team

The Los Angeles Chargers made a series of moves this offseason that left some people scratching their heads. 

The team chose not to pursue a new deal with J.K. Dobbins, who rushed for 905 yards last season and instead signed veteran running back Najee Harris to a one-year deal that could be worth up to $9.2 million with incentives. Then, in the first round of the draft, the team selected North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton with the No. 22 overall pick. 

While that could lead to the team having an incredible rushing attack, others feel it could lead to a deal getting done with another team. Could the Chargers really trade Harris? This is not the first time this idea has come up. 

Much like in that prediction, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report is again predicting a Harris trade before he ever plays for the Chargers. And just like in that prediction, Knox still sees the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers (Harris' former team) as the most likely landing spots. 

Here's what Knox had to say in regards to a potential deal. 

"The Los Angeles Chargers signed running back Najee Harris to a one-year, $5.25 million deal in free agency, and they may not be looking to move him before he even takes a snap.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh loves to lean on the ground game, and he'd probably rather have too much backfield depth than too little.

That said, Harris is on a one-year deal and may not be viewed as a long-term piece for L.A. The Chargers also drafted Omarion Hampton with the No. 22 overall pick in April, and the North Carolina product might walk into an every-down role.

Teams in need of running back help would at least be wise to call about Harris' availability. While he was never a high-level starter with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was a dependable high-volume back who topped 1,000 rushing yards in all four campaigns.

Dallas should consider adding Harris as a high-floor option in its backfield. The Steelers may actually want to consider bringing back the 27-year-old now they have their quarterback in Rodgers.

Pittsburgh signed Kenneth Gainwell, drafted Kaleb Johnson and is preparing to give Jaylen Warren a bigger workload. However, it's also admitted losing Harris will impact its backfield plan.

"Naj for four years here, he was very durable, and that's a lot of missing carries," offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said, per Dale Lolley of the team's official website.

Supporting Rodgers with a good ground game should be high on Pittsburgh's to-do list. Bringing back Harris could help accomplish that."

While some of that makes sense, it doesn't at the same time. The Chargers signed Harris for a reason and they almost certainly chose him over Dobbins due to the difference in durability and availability. While Pittsburgh may want to have that back, they had the chance to re-sign him and didn't. 

Harris may only play one season in L.A., but it makes sense to have Hampton, who is nearly unanimously seen as a huge star for the future, learn behind a veteran who has had success in the league. He can do that even if he gets more usage in his rookie season.

While anything is always possible in the NFL, it would be a bit of a shock to see this happen. 

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