The Chargers, who allowed no running back other than Melvin Gordon to touch the ball in their most recent game, moved to add speed to the unit Tuesday when they claimed former San Diego State running back Ronnie Hillman on waivers from the Vikings.
Hillman, 25, could be a backup option Sunday against the Houston Texans.
In five games with Minnesota, which acquired him after the Denver Broncos cut him late in the preaseason, Hillman rushed 18 times for 50 yards (2.8) and caught four passes for 43 yards (10.8).
When Danny Woodhead was lost to injury in Week 2, the Chargers (4-6) worked out the similar-sized Hillman (5-foot-9 and 200 pounds), but instead signed Dexter McCluster.
McCluster broke an arm bone in an off-field mishap before the Week 9 game against Tennessee, and the Chargers went without a scatback that game and versus Miami.
To open a spot for Hillman, who with SDSU rushed for 3,743 yards and scored 36 touchdowns, the Chargers released receiver Griff Whalen.
Whalen, who made his NFL debut with the Indianapolis Colts when Chargers general manager Tom Telesco was a Colts executive, joined the Chargers in Week 3 and appeared in eight games.
He caught two of his four targeted passes, totaling 11 yards.
There were bumpy moments for Whalen, 26.
At Atlanta, he tried to catch a kick as it veered toward the sideline at the 8-yard line. The mistake apparently cost the Chargers 32 yards of field position and fueled a 21-0 run for Atlanta.
A week later, in the Oct. 30 loss at Denver, Rivers threw an interception that he attributed to lack of game-situation familiarity with Whalen.
The Chargers stood by Whalen, who worked 55 snaps in the Week 10 game against Miami while speedster Travis Benjamin was inactive.
In the same game, Rivers targeted Whalen just once in 44 passes, resulting in a 10-yard gain.
Whalen was part of the pass-route combination on two passes intended for speedy Tyrell Williams that became interceptions; on both plays, the Dolphins defender who picked off the pass paid little or no heed to Whalen.
On another interception, when Whalen lined up outside the numbers as a sidekick to tight end Antonio Gates, Dolphins cornerback Byron Maxwell, 6-foot and 200 pounds, jammed Whalen, 5-10{ and 185, with one arm at the line while also eyeing Rivers and a potential corner-route pass to Gates.
Not cleared out by Whalen, the cornerback was able to pick off the Rivers pass after it was overthrown.
Miami won the game, 31-24.
Also on Tuesday, the Chargers put nose tackle Brandon Mebane on injured reserve and signed cornerback Trovon Reed to the active roster.
Damion Square is to start for Meban at Houston.
Reed's addition could signal that cornerback Brandon Flowers won't be cleared to play against the Texans.
Flowers is coming off his second concussion of the season and didn't practice Monday.
Reed joined the practice squad in October. The 5-11{, 191-pounder is the fifth former Seahawks player to join the Chargers in the past 12 months.
