Hester to return

San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith has just taken another step towards completing his goal of putting together a deep team filled with capable backups and versatile players. Fully aware of the importance special teams has in every game, and mindful that the club could always use a jack-of-all-trades type of player, Smith is bringing fullback Jacob Hester back on a one-year deal.

Hester, whom Smith traded up for in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft, will back up Le'Ron McClain at fullback and return to his key role on special teams, a unit he captained last season.

Thus far with the Chargers, Hester has rushed for 321 yards, a 3.4-yard average, and a touchdown. He's also caught 55 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers are hardly worth the investment Smith made when trading a 2009 second-round pick and 2008 fifth-rounder to move up to select Hester in the third round of the 2008 draft. Still, Hester plays an important role on San Diego's roster, and bringing him back benefits the team.

Smith likely isn't done addressing the running back position, as he reportedly has shown interest in veteran Jackie Battle, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs, and could very well draft a ballcarrier two weeks from now. At the moment 2010 first-round pick Ryan Mathews and Curtis Brinkley are the only halfbacks on the roster, although it is believed that McClain could take on a role similar to what the departed Mike Tolbert had with the Chargers in 2010 and 2011.