Chargers waive RB Larry Rountree

On Monday morning, roughly 36 hours after the preseason breakout performance of rookie running back Elijah Dotson, the Chargers have decided to release third-year back Larry Rountree.

Rountree was selected by the Chargers in the sixth-round of the 2021 NFL draft out of Missouri. In two seasons with the Chargers, Rountree recorded 106 rushing yards and a touchdown on 49 career carries.

Rountree had been on the roster bubble entering this season as the team’s fourth running back. He mainly was kept around as emergency insurance, especially during the past two seasons where any running back not named Austin Ekeler couldn’t find a way to be a consistent producer.

In the Chargers’ recent preseason game against the Rams, Rountree received five carries which he took for nine yards. That stat line was in stark contrast to every other running back that received carries as he was the lone back of the four to average less than 5.4 YPC.