2017 NFL running back revolution: Predicting fits for the top RBs

Eddie Lacy

Eddie Lacy has had his bright moments, and some moments he would rather I don’t bring up. Sorry Eddie, but I’m going to anyways. Weight management has led to injuries. Those injuries have led to lack of playing time. And that lack of playing time has led to you now being the odd man out and looking for a new home this offseason.

Luckily, if you can stay healthy there are some landing spots for you. I won’t sugarcoat it for you either, you aren’t going to be a full time 3-down running back anymore. You will be a committee guy. The good news is that a contender will take a chance on you.

That contender may be the Giants or even the Panthers as well. A couple other teams make sense as well, such as the Lions or maybe the Patriots. Eddie needs to be the lead power back for an offense to wear down defenses early on. Regardless of what you may think, it is very difficult to tackle this man one on one. He will break tackles and he will score touchdowns. He can possibly be one of the top free agent adds this offseason if he can prove that the weight he lost is for real, and he has gotten his health under control.

Isaiah Crowell (restricted)

For me, this one is personal. I have been watching Crowell play since he was a freshman at Georgia. Not many people remember that he was a 5-star recruit and the SEC freshman of the year once upon a time. Due to some off the field incidents that would later get cleared up, he transferred to Alabama State where he dominated that conference for the next few years. He kept his nose clean and put a nice run together.

I remember reading one draft article about him after his combine saying that he may very well be the most talented running back in that class, but the off the field incidents early in his career may very well be what keeps him from getting drafted. Sure enough that was the case, and he went undrafted to the Browns. He ended up taking over the starting job and has gotten better each year.

He may very well be one of the most underrated free agents on the market, especially at only 24 years old and low mileage for a running back. No major injuries. Very powerful and has become a reliable pass catcher as well. This one is a total homer pick for me, but I would love to see him on the Giants. I think it’s the perfect compliment for Paul Perkins. A dynamic young backfield is just what that team needs. Look at Oakland as another big contender as well. The biggest question with him now is simply what type of price tag will the Browns put on him?

Latavius Murray

This is the big running back name on the market right now. Yes, Bell is technically a free agent but we all know he isn’t going anywhere. Any running back needy team is calling his agent ASAP. He is a full time starter with power and speed, and in the right system can be a real threat to any defense around the league. Seemingly coming out of no where he took the backfield by storm, and never really let go of the reigns. There are some injury concerns, but nothing quite to the Adrian Peterson level.

There will be multiple bidders in this situation. Don’t expect a crazy high contract by any means, but going around 3 mil a year shouldn’t be out of the question. I would expect the Raiders to be the lead contenders right now, but they have more contracts to think about long term. I would look at the Vikings to be the best fit for him, but the Ravens may also put up some good competition as well. Either would be a good fit for this prime aged running back.

LeGarrette Blount

Which Blount are we going to see? The one that will score 3 touchdowns in a game and run through and over defenders on the same play? Or the Super Bowl and playoff version that seemingly forgot he was in the playoffs and Super Bowl. That Super Bowl fumble was his first since week 2. I expect my own running backs in high school to never fumble, so for me it is never an acceptable number. I digress. Blount is about to be on the wrong side of 30 and at almost 250 pounds that is not a good combo. Injuries may start to pile up soon, and teams will never forget his history, regardless of what he has left in the tank.

The Patriots tend to stick to their own as we have seen over the years, but the playoff performance may have turned them off to the idea of bringing him back again. I would still expect them to be the big suitors, but knowing that his career may be winding down and he has his rings, he may chase the payday and go where the money is. Cleveland may be looking for a new power back if Crowell goes and they have plenty of money and are obviously desperate. Buffalo could always use a power back to help Shady out. There are plenty of options for Blount, it’s just a matter of how much he wants a pay day.