The NFL off-season is officially upon us, and teams all around the league will start to look to improve both their rosters and coaching staffs. There is a fresh new free agent pool, and it may be the selection of running backs that is the deepest of all of the positions.
5 NFL Running Backs Who Will Be Free Agents This Off-Season
Josh Jacobs
Perhaps the biggest name on the open market will be Josh Jacobs, who was one of the few bright sports for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022. He was the league leader in rushing yards, racking up 1,653 of them, averaged the most yards per game, and had the longest single rush of anyone. He was not only a ground threat, but he gained 400 reception yards as well, the 8th-most of any running back.
The Raiders just saved themselves a good amount of cash by parting ways with quarterback Derek Carr. Could some of that money be used to keep the league’s best running back from last season?
Saquon Barkley
After a couple of down years caused by injuries and poor team performance, Saquon Barkley regained his footing in his contract year in 2022. He went over 1,000 yards for the first time since 2019, as he racked up a career-high 1,312 yards. Barkley was one of the premier rushing prospects when he came into the league five years ago, but he never quite lived up to the billing of a second overall pick, despite him having a solid career thus far. Depending on the payday that Tony Pollard earns, Barkley should be the running back who receives the second-largest contract this off-season.
Tony Pollard
Pollard had the second-most yards per carry of any running back with 150+ rushing attempts, with an impressive 5.2 for the Cowboys last year. He received 38 fewer carries than teammate Ezekiel Elliot and was technically the second string RB, but he was the leader in yardage, and had 371 receiving yards to Elliot’s 92.
Elliot is the one under the long-term contract, but the Cowboys can save over $10 million this coming season by cutting or trading him after June 1st. Would they use that money to resign Pollard? That might be the smartest of any possible move.
Miles Sanders
One of the many players from the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl team that will be a free agent, Sanders is likely to find a payday elsewhere. He rushed for over 1,200 yards in 2022 and averaged 4.9 yards per carry, 7th best among all running backs. How much of that can be attributed to the Eagles’ elite offensive line, though?
Jamaal Williams
Williams was the league leader in rushing touchdowns by a long shot, finishing with 17 of them, 4 more than anyone else in the NFL. He was a part of a balanced rushing attack from the Lions but was obviously the premier ball carrier, and was the only running back who remained healthy all season for Detroit. Despite his league lead in touchdowns, Williams finished 11th in total yards and 33rd in yards per attempt. But will the sheer total number of his scores be enough to lure him away from the Lions for a new payday?
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