Ryan Mathews participated in 16 regular-season games for the first time in his career during the 2013 season. Then the San Diego Chargers went out and added another running back.
The signing of Donald Brown this offseason was a curious one, given that Mathews is coming off a career year and Danny Woodhead is a solid, change-of-pace back on the roster.
The 26-year-old Mathews, however, believes the addition of Brown is "going to be awesome" and will help him stay healthy throughout the season.
"I (want to) make it more than 16 games," Mathews said, per U-T San Diego. "That was a big goal last year: 'Alright, let's get him through 16 games.' We did that. Now the goal is to keep me healthy, keep running after 16 games. The coaches did a good job of getting another guy like Donald to help me out. It's going to be fun."
Mathews missed two starts early in the 2013 season and was hampered by an ankle injury down the stretch. While he displayed toughness between the tackles last year, the injury took an obvious toll, especially in two disappointing playoff performances.
As Mathews enters the final season of his contract, he is hoping that Brown's addition can keep him fresh down the stretch. Another solid season coupled with a healthy ending could allow Mathews to hit the open market as the top available back in 2015.
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