The Los Angeles Chargers today placed running back Omarion Hampton on reserve/injured. In a corresponding move, the team signed running back Kimani Vidal to the active practice squad roster. Additionally, the Bolts signed a running back Nyheim Hines to the practice squad.
Chargers’ 2024 sixth-round pick (181st overall), Vidal appeared in 10 games with the Bolts during his rookie season. He was a standard raise for the Chargers in Weeks 4 and 5, scoring in 12 plays over his career and adding a one-yard catch, four carries for 18 yards (4.5 average) and returning a kickoff for 25 yards. Vidal had a 38-yard touchdown catch on his first NFL touchdown, becoming the 11th player in team history to have a receiving score in his NFL debut. He finished his rookie campaign with 155 rushing yards on 43 attempts (3.6 average) and five receptions for 62 yards (12.4 average) and the touchdown.
Vidal appeared in 48 games over four seasons at Troy (2020-23), finishing his career as the program’s all-time leader in rushing yards (4,010), attempts (781) and 200-yard rushing games (five), while tying for the most 100-yard rushing performances (14) and tied for third with 33 rushing touchdowns. The 2023 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year and third-team All-American added 92 receptions for 700 yards (7.6 average) and a touchdown. Vidal is the great-nephew of Baseball Hall of Famer and home run legend Hank Aaron.
Hinesa former fourth-round pick of Indianapolis in the 2018 NFL Draft (104th overall), spent training camp with the Bolts and was a dynamic returner during his five-year NFL career while adding offensive versatility. He appeared in 81 regular season games, making 17 starts at running back. Hines recorded 1,202 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 306 carries (3.9 average), while adding 240 receptions for 1,778 yards (7.4 average) and eight receiving scores on offense. On special teams, he had 89 punt returns for 1,015 yards (11.4 average) and two touchdowns, while adding 32 kickoff returns for 817 yards (25.5 average) and two scores. Hines is a two-time AFC Special Teams Player of the Week winner, most recently in Week 18 of the 2022 season after returning two kickoffs for touchdowns.
Over three seasons on the field at North Carolina State (2015-17), Hines played in 38 games, totaling 1,399 yards and 13 touchdowns on 258 attempts (5.4 average). He added 89 career receptions for 933 yards (10.5 average) and one score. Hines earned first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors and Sun Bowl MVP recognition for a career year in 2017, when he totaled 1,112 yards and 12 touchdowns on 197 rushing attempts (5.6 average) and added 26 catches for 152 yards (5.8 average). One of the fastest players in football, Hines also ran track for the Wolfpack, earning All-America status in 2016 for the 4×100-meter relay. He won the 4×100 meter relay outdoors in consecutive years (2016-17) and earned a total of four All-ACC honors in outdoor track and field.
