After missing the last two seasons due to a knee injury sustained in a jet skiing accident, Nyheim Hines was looking all offseason for a team to give him a chance. On Monday, Hines finally got that opportunity when he reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Chargers, according to ESPN.
In July 2023, Hines was injured after being struck by another jet ski rider. His injuries included a torn ACL, which ended his chances of playing in 2023. The running back signed with the Cleveland Browns ahead of the 2024 season but never came off the non-football injury list.
The 28-year-old emphasized to The Charlotte Observer earlier this month that he is “far from done” and is confident that his health and “explosiveness” are back to where they were before the injury. He’ll get the chance to show that with the Chargers, who also have free agent signee Najee Harris and 2025 first-round pick Omarion Hampton on the depth chart at running back. Harris, who has topped 1,000 yards in his first four pro seasons, is expected to begin training camp on the non-football injury list after a fireworks incident resulted in an eye injury.
NFL free agent Nyheim Hines is ‘far from done’ after missing two seasons due to jet ski accident
Shanna McCarriston
L.A.’s offense was in the middle of the pack last year in total rushing yards at 1,882, but were toward the bottom in yards per carry at 4.1. Hines prides himself as a pass-catching running back who can also run between tackles and help in the return game.
Hines, a third-round pick in 2018, wants to prove he can provide value to a team.
“I don’t need a lot of touches. I would like some touches at times, but I just want the opportunity,” Hines said on Sirius XM Radio. “Just put me in space, and throughout my career we’ve seen what I’ve done with a little bit of space.”
Hines began his career with the Indianapolis Colts, where he played from 2018 until he was traded to the Buffalo Bills during the 2022 season. For his career, Hines has 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns on 306 carries along with 240 catches for 1,778 yards and eight scores. He also has four career return touchdowns — two punt returns and two kickoff returns.
Add Comment