In Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh’s first season with the Chargers, they were tasked with fielding a competitive roster despite an unfortunate cap situation on top of expected turnover across the depth chart. They signed a number of players on short “prove it” deals knowing the risk was low while the reward could be substantially greater. To the joy of Chargers fans, they hit on a handful of those moves, including defensive tackle Poona Ford, cornerback Kristian Fulton, and running back J.K. Dobbins.
All three played pivotal roles for the team this year. The former two helped get the Chargers to the league’s number one scoring defense while Dobbins helped the Chargers offense stay more balanced than they’ve been in recent years.