Daniel Racz @Danny___Dimes  

Introduction

A perfect storm was brewing for Cam Akers in 2021. A solid offensive line, an improved quarterback and an assumed three-down role. Sadly, Akers tore his Achilles during a pre-training camp practice. The Rams’ current backfield consists of Darrell Henderson Jr., Xavier Jones, Raymond Calais, Otis Anderson, and Jake Funt. Though the Rams’ front office and head coach Sean McVay have said that they do not plan to immediately bring in more competition, it is unlikely that the room remains the same throughout the offseason.

The current free agent options are serviceable at best, but the Rams will need to go bargain hunting to piece together a competent running back room. Though none of the available players are uber-athletic, there are experienced veterans and pass catchers that could be of use to the Rams.

Duke Johnson

Duke Johnson Jr. has no business sitting in free agency while running backs like Carlos Hyde and Devontae Booker have defined roles. Since entering the league, Johnson has totaled over 300 receptions and almost 3,000 receiving yards out of the backfield.

If the Rams were to sign Johnson, it would be as a complementary piece in their committee. Darrell Henderson has not been used as a pass-catcher with the Rams, so signing Johnson would give them an impact player in the passing game. Johnson’s 4.51 speed on his 210-pound frame is nothing more than average, but the Rams should be thrilled with league-average production right now.

Adrian Peterson

AP is quietly still a capable running back. In his past three seasons, he has totaled over 2,500 yards on the ground and 450 yards as a receiver. Peterson also has 20 total touchdowns since 2018. Peterson ranked 13th in yards created per touch and 31st in evaded tackles last year, per player profile. Though these metrics are not anything special, Peterson has proved that he still has enough juice left in the tank. 

The Rams can deploy Peterson on any down and trust him to be a willing pass protector. AP’s experience across over a decade in the league is invaluable, and he could benefit the franchise more than any other free agent. 

Todd Gurley

The divorce between the Los Angeles Rams and Todd Gurley was ugly. Gurley even claimed that some of his game checks were not delivered. All that said, the Rams bringing in Todd Gurley makes too much sense, if Gurley is open to a reunion. The Rams would love a running back that has a deep knowledge of their system, like Gurley. The comfort level that Gurley has with coach McVay’s system is an immediate bonus. 

Gurley is no longer an elite running back. However, it has been demonstrated that teams can win games without high-end backs. The Chiefs won a super bowl with Damien Williams as their lead back in 2019 and the Buccaneers won in 2020 with Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones. Gurley, Darrell Henderson, and Raymond Calais would be one of the worst running back rooms in the league, but it just might be enough to get by.

The post Best free-agent running back replacements for Cam Akers appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Pierre Wilson

We’re almost there!  Less than a month away from the NFL preseason kicking off in Canton, Ohio for the Hall of Fame Game.  With the preseason quickly approaching, that also means that NFL fantasy football drafts are picking up steam.

Many dynasty and best-ball leagues are already drafting full speed ahead, and soon more redraft leagues will also begin to take place.  In case you’re not familiar, redraft leagues are the fantasy football teams that you redraft from scratch every year.  It’s the most common style, to the casual fantasy football player, but I wanted to ensure all readers understood the terminology.

One of the main positions you’ll see flying off the board early in redraft leagues is the running backs.  This is because there aren’t many “bell cow” running backs (those that handle most of their team’s rushing volume) in the NFL anymore, so those “bell cows” tend to get drafted quickly.

The likes of Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, Derrick Henry, and Alvin Kamara among others, will likely be selected within the 1^st round in most redraft formats. What I’m looking to do is provide a few running back names that you can target late, towards the end of your draft, that might be able to provide depth or upside to set you apart from your league mates.

Here are 3 of those running back sleepers to target deeper in redraft leagues (in no particular order):

1. Marlon Mack (Indianapolis Colts) – The Colts 4^th round pick in the 2017 NFL draft could be one of the best running back values in 2021 fantasy drafts. Still only 25 years old, Mack has proven he can be a top end running back in the NFL.

Mack rushed for 908 yards and 9 rushing touchdowns in 2018, before following that up with a thousand-yard performance in 2019 when he rushed for 1,091 yards and 8 rushing touchdowns.  Even with the Colts selecting Wisconsin standout Jonathan Taylor in the 2^nd round of the 2020 draft, Mack entered Week 1 of the 2020 season as the lead back for the Colts against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

To begin that game, Taylor didn’t even see the field as Mack and 3^rd down back Nyheim Hines got most of the work.  During the 2^nd quarter of the game, Mack hit the ground holding his ankle after a check down from quarterback Philip Rivers.  He was eventually carted to the locker room and diagnosed with a torn Achilles tendon.

That injury is likely the main reason Marlon Mack is such a value. Achilles injuries have been kryptonite for running backs and NFL players in general.  A 2018 study published in Foot and Ankle International showed about 73% of players returned to the NFL with 27-28% having a career-ending injury. The study also showed that postoperative performance was worse in running backs and linebackers.

The Achilles injury is the main reason folks are off Marlon Mack, but the Colts seem satisfied with the healing progress and brought Mack back on a 1-year deal.  Indianapolis also took a risk on one of the guys Mack will be running behind, in offensive tackle Eric Fisher.  Fisher joined the Colts after being released by the Chiefs when he sustained his own Achilles injury in the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills.  The Colts might be more comfortable with this injury now that many doctors are using a new twist on the miniature-open technique developed by a Duke Health foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon.

The new technique only requires a 3 cm incision versus the traditional approach of 8 cm to 12 cm incision that has a higher risk of infection or the wound healing properly and keeps patients off their feet longer.

With Mack’s injury happening early into the 2020 season, he should be ready to roll and will likely be implemented right back into the Colts rushing attack to help spell Taylor, and perhaps even find himself in a bigger role if Taylor were to suffer an injury himself.

Here’s hoping for a healthy Colts backfield in 2021 and a successful “return of the Mack”.

• Darrel Williams (Kansas City Chiefs) – The undrafted running back out of LSU brings value by being the handcuff to the running back out of LSU that was the 2020 1^st round pick of the Chiefs, in Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Darrel Williams didn’t have stats that jumped off the page in 2020, only rushing for 169 yards and a touchdown during the Chiefs regular season. Williams did, however, provide some stability to the Chiefs in the playoffs due to Edwards-Helaire recovering from injury.  Williams saw 13 attempts in the Divisional and Championship games rushing for 78 and 52-yards w/a touchdown respectively.

The Chiefs are obviously a pass-first team with the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce, but do lean on the run to keep opposing defenses honest.  After a failed experiment of bringing in former star back Le’Veon Bell 6 weeks into the season, Williams should have less competition behind him in backing up CEH.

We also saw a healthy CEH have some struggles punching it in near the goal-line throughout the season, so Williams could be called upon as a bigger back in goal-line packages if those struggles from Edwards-Helaire continue.

Williams has climbed from the 4th string running back to the backup in just a couple of years, while being in one of the best offenses in all the NFL.  A couple things going his way, from an opportunity standpoint, and I believe he’s worth a look as a deep running back sleeper.

• Todd Gurley (Free Agent) – Todd Gurley? Who would have thought the 2015 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year would be considered a deep sleeper just 4 years later?

The real life 2015 1st round pick has seen quite the fantasy football draft decline.  Viewed arguably as the top running back entering the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Gurley has found himself currently without a team, which plays a big part in fantasy value right now.  Many don’t want to waste a pick on someone that may not even play.

The decline of Todd Gurley started within the 2018 season where he still rushed for 1,251 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns.  Reports started to surface that Gurley was dealing with an “arthritic component to his knee”, though Gurley claimed his knee was good entering the 2019 season.  Gurley would still finish 2019 (his last with the Rams) with 12 rushing touchdowns, but only compiling 857 rushing yards.

2020 would find Gurley returning to the state of Georgia, where he had his college success, as the lead back of the Atlanta Falcons.  Once again Gurley saw his numbers decline, rushing for only 678 yards and 9 rushing touchdowns.  The rushing touchdown upside is what still attracts me to Gurley if he were to land a roster spot with an NFL team.

Even with only being a few weeks shy of his 27th birthday, we can’t expect Gurley to provide the production we saw during his glory days with the Rams.  We all know that.  However, Gurley still showed he can get into the end-zone in Atlanta, and I believe he could be a serviceable goal-line back…stealing points from your favorite neighborhood RB1 and RB2.  We’ve seen teams like the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens linked to Gurley.  This makes sense, given the role Adrian Peterson played for the Lions last year rushing for 604 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns as a goal-line back and even as the lead back in games where starter D’Andre Swift was hurt.

An output like the 600/7 that Peterson put up would be a welcome sight for fantasy rosters if Gurley were to land with another NFL team.  Making him a deep fantasy sleeper to target in redrafts.

The post 3 deep RB sleepers for fantasy football redraft appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Carolina Panthers entered the 2021 offseason desperate for change. Matt Rhule and the Panthers knew that they were getting All-Pro Christian McCaffrey back and healthy. Still, the fourth-place NFC South team from a year ago was widely aware that they needed a boost in their arsenal if they wanted to head in a winning direction.

The Panthers made a smart move by acquiring the young, cheaper Sam Darnold at the QB position. On defense, the organization drafted Jaycee Horn with the eighth overall pick. Numerous other valuable moves were made like the signing of Dan Arnold at tight end, inking Haason Reddick at defensive end, and the addition of Denzel Perryman to the linebacker unit. The Panthers undoubtedly boast a new look, sharper squad as training camp approaches. 

Indeed, training camp approaches, but it’s still the offseason and there’s still time to focus on improving the roster before the pads come on for the Panthers and the 31 other ball clubs. When looking at the Panthers, they are a team that could use more talent at a few spots. In particular, CAR could use more firepower at the RB position. 

Free-agent RB Todd Gurley would be the perfect fit for coach Rhule’s offensive attack. The Panthers boast CMAC, but there’s hardly an ounce of proven ability behind McCaffrey. Behind the number one RB spot, lies fourth-round rookie Chubba Hubbard and second-year UDFA Rodney Smith. 

Gurley is a mere 26 years old, he’s an ironman RB (played 14+ games in each of the last six seasons), and he brings value in the rushing and passing game. He recorded roughly 5,000 combined yards and 54 total touchdowns across a three-season span (2017-2019). In his most previous season, he wasn’t an electric force behind the dreadful Falcons OL, but he had several long runs and bruising TD runs, which helped show that his knees still have juice and he can be relied on with even a heavy load.

Gurley may not be the same player that he was as an All-Pro in 2018, but he could be involved and provide noticeable production in various ways. In a division where the Panthers play the Saints elite run defense twice a year, the Bucs dominant front seven twice a season, a slight boost from Gurley’s all-around ability could go a long way. His presence could especially be valued in short-yardage situations, where his strength could be utilized and CMAC could sit out and stay fresher.

Gurley signed a one-year – 5.5 million dollar deal with the Atlanta Falcons last season. He will likely garner around four million per season on his next team. The Panthers sit 11th in the league in cap space, so they have the ammunition to ink the former stud RB. If Gurley and the Panthers have a mutual interest in the near future, or if the Panthers feel the need to get more stability at halfback during training camp, it would be wise to reel in Gurley’s services. If Gurley does come to Charlotte and proves to be a quality player, the Panthers could have a superb tandem for years to come.

The post Why the Panthers need to sign Todd Gurley appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Chris Thomas

In recent memory, it is hard to recall so many extremely talented free agent players still available at this point of the offseason. The reasoning may be that teams wanted to wait till after the draft to see if they could fill the remaining needs on their roster in the early rounds. Teams may also want to wait till training camp to see if the players on their roster have developed to a point where they could fill that need. On top of that in recent years veteran free agents have decided to wait till after the draft and training camp to sign with teams so they can look at a team’s overall roster before signing and skip training camp and get ready for the season with their own personal trainers. 

One of the deepest positions in this free-agent class is running back. Multiple former Pro Bowl running backs are still on the market. There are a couple of teams around the league who could still use a veteran to add to their running back rotation. Here is where the top free agent edge rushers could land.

Le’Veon Bell to the Miami Dolphins

Less than a year ago Le’Veon Bell had the option to sign with the Miami Dolphins. But Bell decided to join the Kansas City Chiefs backfield with 2020 first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire than to become the lead back in Miami or Buffalo. Bell was more interested in joining a championship contender than joining an unproven contender like the Bills and Dolphins who both ended up with over ten wins this past season. 

Bell started his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers where he quickly became known as one of if not the best running back in football. He had three seasons with over 1,800 scrimmage yards and 10+ touchdowns. Bell was voted to three Pro Bowls, named a First-Team All-Pro twice, and Second Team All-Pro once in 2016. After a conflict with the Steelers involving a contract extension, Bell hit the market as a free agent and signed with the New York Jets for 4 years $52 million. He only had 789 rushing yards in his first season in New York. Bell was released by the New York Jets following his return from injury in Week 5. this past season He had demanded that the team trade him, but after not finding a trade partner the Jets decided to release him. Bell rushed for 328 yards and two touchdowns on 82 attempts in games with both teams last season. He only started four games combined for both the Jets and Chiefs.

It felt like the Miami Dolphins were beat out in multiple situations when they attempted to add a star running back this offseason. Miami went after Chris Carson, Kerryon Johnson, and 2021 Second Round pick Javonte Williams at different points of the offseason. But they could not land any of those three backs. The Dolphins were able to sign former Los Angeles Ram Malcolm Brown to a two-year $3.5 million contract this offseason and still have Myles Gaskin on their roster from the year before. Gaskin led the Dolphins in all rushing categories putting up 584 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 142 attempts in ten games (seven starts). Miami also has Salvon Ahmed who was a great find for them last offseason. Last season’s undrafted free agent rookie rushed for 319 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 75 attempts in six games (four starts). 

If Miami signed Bell they realistically cannot expect him to be the player he was in Pittsburgh. But they can hope he can compliment Gaskin by putting up the production that he did in New York. It is at least worth it for the Dolphins to kick the tires on the former All-Pro since their backfield is still very unproven. Miami is expected to still be a run-first team despite adding Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle this offseason. So it would make sense for the Dolphins to make sure they have as much talent as they can get at this point in their backfield. Miami has playoff aspirations and may look to achieve more. Signing Bell would make sure the Dolphins did all in their power to make sure their backfield isn’t holding them back.

Prediction: Le’Veon Bell signs with the Miami Dolphins for one year $1 million 

Todd Gurley to the Kansas City Chiefs

Out of all of the remaining free-agent running backs, Todd Gurley had gained the most attention from teams. Gurley had visited the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens this offseason. The Lions had an interest in signing Gurley “on their terms“. The Lions would make a lot of sense considering they appear to be embracing a run-first approach with their lack of weapons at receiver, new Lions general manager Brad Holmes was a major part of the Rams front office who drafted Gurley who almost won them to a Super Bowl in 2017-18. Gurley would also be reuniting with former Rams’ teammate quarterback Jared Goff who was traded to the Lions this offseason. However, it appears at this point the Lions won’t be signing Gurley and don’t need to with a backfield featuring D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams. 

During his time in St. Louis/Los Angeles Gurley was one of the most dominant running backs in the league. In three of his five seasons with the Rams Gurley rushed for 1,100+ yards and had over ten touchdowns. In two of those seasons, Gurley led the league in rushing touchdowns. His accolades with the Rams include Offensive Rookie of the Year (2015), Offensive Player of the Year (2017), three Pro Bowls, two First-Team All-Pro selections, and Second Team All-Pro recognition in 2015. Following the 2019-20 season, the Rams released Gurley two seasons into his four-year $60 million deal. He then signed a one-year $5.5 million prove-it deal with the Atlanta Falcons. He rushed for a career-low 678 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 195 carries. The Falcons decided not to bring back Gurley and elected to sign veteran Mike Davis to a two-year $5.5 million deal. 

The Kansas City Chiefs were in the middle of the pack in most major rushing stats last season. However, they were in a five-way tie for 22nd in the league in rushing touchdowns with 13. Only six teams had fewer rushing touchdowns than the Chiefs did a season ago. Having Patrick Mahomes as the face of the offense can be to blame for most of that. However, it would be a major help to the offense to have a running back on the roster capable of punching it into the endzone when they’re close rather than relying upon Mahomes to scramble or shovel pass it to All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce. Clyde Edwards-Helaire was one of the worst running backs in the league in the red zone last season. Within the five-yard line, Edwards-Helaire was one for nine on attempts to punch it into the endzone. Edwards-Helaire is a great pass-catching running back but struggles in short-yardage situations. 

Although Todd Gurley’s health issues have regressed him to the point where he runs like he has been in the league for ten years despite only playing in the league for six, one constant throughout Gurley’s career has been his ability to score when his teams get in close. Since 2015, Gurley has rushed for 67 touchdowns. Last year in arguably Gurley’s worst season he still managed to have nine rushing touchdowns which was tied for 11th last season. Kansas City should consider pairing Edwards-Helaire with a former All-Pro running back for the second season in a row, but pair him with a back who compliments his skillset in Gurley. Signing in Kansas City would give Gurley another opportunity to be a part of a Super Bowl team and allow him to display what he is still capable of. 

Prediction: Todd Gurley signs with the Kansas City Chiefs for one year $1.5 million deal

Adrian Peterson to the Los Angeles Chargers

Adrian Peterson is one of the few running backs in the NFL who definitely will be receiving a gold jacket in Canton, Ohio after he retires. Peterson spent his first ten seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. A majority of running backs don’t even play in the league ten seasons, let alone play as dominant as Peterson had during that span. During his time in Minnesota, he led the league in rushing three separate times and led the league in rushing touchdowns twice. Peterson accumulated multiple accolades including league MVP (2012), NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year, seven Pro Bowl appearances, four First-Team All-Pro acknowledgments, and three Second Team All-Pro acknowledgments. He also was a unanimous selection onto the 2010’s All-Decade Team.

Since leaving Minnesota Peterson had defied the odds and continued to be a major part of multiple team’s backfields for the next four seasons. After a tough 2017 season where he split time with the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals, Peterson ran for over 1,000 yards at age 33 in his first season in Washington. He followed it up the following season with just under 900 rushing yards in his second season in Washington. This past year Peterson started ten games for the Detroit Lions at age 35. As it stands right now Peterson is the fifth all-time in rushing yards in NFL history. 

Last offseason the Los Angeles Chargers gave their lead back Austin Ekeler a 4 year $25.4 million contract. Ekeler had outshined former first-round pick Melvin Gordon and was well deserving of being paid like the team’s lead back. But last season Ekeler got hurt and missed six games last year. The Chargers struggled to run the ball during that six-game stretch. Their best running back when Ekeler got hurt was Kallen Ballage who is now a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It would make a lot of sense for the Chargers to bring in Peterson for a lot of reasons. Los Angeles is a warm-weather city that is extremely attractive to free agents and playing there could open up opportunities for Peterson in media after he retires. Secondly, his playstyle compliments Ekeler very well. Ekeler is most dominant as a receiver out of the backfield. If Peterson was brought in to Los Angeles, he could take on some of the between the tackles and short-yardage runs while Ekeler can focus on being a receiving threat out of the backfield. The Chargers could even explore the option of having both Peterson and Ekeler on the field at the same time, lining up Peterson in the backfield and Ekeler in the slot as a wide receiver for a couple of plays a game.

Also, another feature of the Chargers that would be attractive to Peterson is the fact that they are considered a borderline playoff team. Despite being one of the greatest running backs to ever play the game, Peterson had only been to the playoffs four times in his career and hadn’t been to the playoffs since the 2015-16 season. At this of his career, Peterson has done it all except play winning and meaningful football. Peterson has only played past the Wild Card round of the playoffs once in his career back in the 2009-10 season.

Prediction: Adrian Peterson signs a one year $2.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers

Frank Gore to the Arizona Cardinals

Similar to Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore is one of the only running backs still in the NFL that will be enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame shortly after he retires. He has played for four different teams over the last four seasons. But Gore began his career with the San Francisco 49ers. During his ten seasons with the 49ers, he had been named to the Pro Bowl five times and was named a Second Team All-Pro in 2006. After leaving San Francisco, Gore played three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and followed that with one-year stints with the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and New York Jets After only starting one game his rookie season, Gore has started 217 of 227 games since 2006-07. That is an unreal feat for a running back. Gore has the NFL record for most games played for a running back (241) and is the first player in NFL history with 12 consecutive seasons with 1,200+ scrimmage yards. A resume like that earned him a spot on the 2010’s All-Decade Team.

It is unclear what to expect out of the Arizona Cardinals backfield this upcoming season. Their projected starter Chase Edmonds has only started four games in his career at this point and has never reached 500 rushing yards in a single season. Last season Edmonds took snaps away from starter Kenyan Drake being the team’s primary receiving back. He had a career-high 53 receptions for 402 yards and four receiving touchdowns last season. They also signed former Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner to a prove-it one year $1.75 million deal. In Conner’s first season as a starter in 2018-19, he was voted to the Pro Bowl after rushing for 973 yards and 12 touchdowns along with 497 receiving yards. Since then multiple injuries have kept Conner off the field or limited in the action he has seen. Pittsburgh decided to move off of Conner and go in another direction at running back.

The best-case scenario for Arizona’s backfield in 2021-22 is for Kliff Kingsbury’s offense to put Conner in a position to play similar to his best similar to what it did for Kenyan Drake while reducing his carry count having him split carries with Edmonds. For a team that has playoff aspirations, there is a lot of uncertainty in Arizona’s backfield. That is why the Cardinals should bring in Frank Gore. Over the last couple of seasons, Gore has remarkably been extremely consistent with his production despite being in his late thirties. At worst Gore could be a veteran presence in a locker room filled with both veterans and young players. But if Conner cannot remain healthy and Edmonds struggles to play like a lead back, Gore can be a safe option in the backfield that could be good for between 8-12 carries a game.

Arizona is also a great landing spot for Gore because it has been the final landing spot for multiple veterans and future Hall of Famers looking to finish their career in a great warm-weather city. At age 38 Gore will likely be playing his final season this year if he hasn’t already.

Prediction: Frank Gore signs a one year $1.75 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals

Duke Johnson Jr. to the Atlanta Falcons

For just over half of a decade Duke Johnson Jr. has been one of the best complimentary backs in the league. Despite only starting 17 of 91 career games, he has been an important part of the offenses he has played for during his time in Cleveland and Houston. During each of his first three years in Cleveland, Johnson had over 800 scrimmage yards. In his last season in Cleveland Johnson’s role was reduced. Then after receiving a three-year contract extension Johnson asked to be traded and was moved to the Houston Texans for a 2020 Third Round pick. Johnson had a career-high 410 rushing yards in his first season in Houston then split carries with David Johnson this past season. The new Texans administration cut Duke Johnson this offseason.

The Atlanta Falcons lost their best two running backs Todd Gurley and Brian Hill in free agency. They replaced them with veteran running back Mike Davis. The Falcons signed Davis to a two-year $5.5 million deal after a career year with the Carolina Panthers.

Davis was drafted in the fourth round by the San Francisco 49ers in 2015 then after two seasons was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle started Davis for six games in 2017 after being activated off the practice squad late in the year. The following season Davis posted career highs in a rotational role. Davis signed a two-year $6 million deal with the Chicago Bears in 2019 but did not finish his first season with the team. He was claimed off waivers by the Carolina Panthers. During his first full year with the Panthers this past season, Davis was forced into a large role because of multiple injuries to former All-Pro Christian McCaffrey. Davis showed during his twelve starts last season that he is capable of being a team’s starting running back. T

His performance last season was enough for the Falcons to feel comfortable with Davis being their lead back next season. Based on Atlanta’s running back depth chart Davis may be the workhorse back for the Falcons next season. For a team trying to be competitive in 2020, it is risky having Davis as the team’s only capable running back on the roster. Atlanta should add a veteran backup or change of pace back in case Davis gets hurt or needs help carrying the load. That role would be perfect for Duke Johnson. That is the exact role Johnson had last season in Houston. Johnson could serve as Davis’ primary backup and take a couple carries a game when Davis needs a breather.

Prediction: Duke Johnson Jr. signs a one year $990,000 deal with the Atlanta Falcons

The post Top fits for the remaining FA RBs appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Buffalo Bills were strongly rumored to draft Travis Etienne in the 2021 NFL Draft. Upon the eclipse of the draft, Etienne is not in a Bills uniform. As Travis Etienne was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars 25th overall, The Bills opted to draft defense in the first round, second round, then followed by an offensive tackle in the third round. Bills chose not to take a RB in the entirety of the draft. With no rookie competing at the RB spot, the AFC East champs are left with Devin Singletary, Zack Moss, and Matt Breida to lean on from the backfield. PS – Panic. 

The Bills RB spot remains a burden on a championship level team after the draft. In 2020, the Bills finished 20th in the league rushing yards. Have the Bills and GM Brandon Beane taken the right steps to improve the RB situation up to this point? The answer: Not quite. With that being said, the Bills have time and options to enhance the RB in the Josh Allen led offense. 

The Bills should look to sign free agent and former Offensive Player of The Year, Todd Gurley. Gurley didn’t win Comeback Player of The Year for the Falcons last season after being cut from the Los Angeles Rams, but he showed that he has loads of talent remaining. Gurley had nine rushing touchdowns in 2020 (inches away from 10 scores), while knocking out 842 total yards. Gurley didn’t show that he deserved to break the bank, but he had impressive moments amid a lackluster Falcons o-line and heavy passing attack.

Gurley had an electric five-game stretch to start the season: The Georgia workhorse ousted approximately 5 YPC, 75 YPG, and had five rushing TDs in the five-week span.

It’s also important to point out that Gurley is only 26 years old — a year younger than Derrick Henry. Gurley has taken the blows, but he has time to adapt to what can work, which is lots of remaining running ability. 

The Bills can afford to have Gurley in the loop and not be forced to give him 20+ carries a contest. Devin Singletary and Zack Moss provide the ability to create a strong RB rotation — something that Gurley never had in Atlanta or Los Angeles. Gurley would be the perfect change of pace RB, goal-line ball carrier, and he would be vital for a team that requires a healthier overall RB attack late in the playoffs. 

Gurley’s floor is a quality fit for the Bills offense. Yet, if Gurley turns back the clock and reclaims the production that he once held, the young RB will hold a promising future with the other prime, yet blossoming pieces on the Bills o-unit.

The post Why the Buffalo Bills need to sign Todd Gurley appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Martinez

After a one-year stint with the Atlanta Falcons, Todd Gurley is once again on the market with no takers in sight seemingly. Truth be told, it is simply because the former 2017 ”˜Offensive Player of the Year’ just isn’t what he used to be.

Last season, Gurley rushed the ball 195 times for 678 yards, averaging only 3.5 yards per carry. It is also worth noting that he failed to hit double-digit touchdowns on the year, making a strong case for the 2020 season being the worst of his career.

However, Atlanta is not to blame for Todd Gurley’s dip in production last year. If we date back to his glory days in Los Angeles, it had been reported that Gurley was diagnosed with an ”˜arthritic component’ in his left knee. Three years later, despite efforts to reduce his workload throughout the season, Gurley’s durability and injury issues continue to be a burden on his NFL career.

Having said that, which two teams can afford to bring in Todd Gurley for the upcoming season?

New York Jets

The Jets are officially in full rebuild mode under the new regime of Robert Saleh. With the team having plenty of positional needs prior to the season, their Draft Day should be a busy one as they try filling starting roles with the first few rounds. However, I do not anticipate the Jets spending an early round pick on a running back this year. After Le’Veon Bell’s dramatic departure from New York, the Jets front office will surely think twice before investing big again at the running back position.

If the Jets did, however, decide to go for a running back with a second-day selection in the draft, the team would still be left with a backfield that lacks maturity and experience. Pairing that with a new system similar to Kyle Shannahan’s that expects plenty from its running backs would not make for a smooth sailing, especially with a rookie quarterback running the show.

For that very reason, Todd Gurley and the Jets would be perfect for each other this season. A one-year deal at market price would be smart investing for the Jets, especially with none of the current backs making anything past a million dollars this upcoming season.

Kansas City Chiefs

Yes, I know, a jump from the Jets to the Chiefs is a dramatic one. But luckily for Todd Gurley, the Chiefs might be one of few teams that could be in desperate need of his services this upcoming season.

For the Chiefs, drafting Clyde Edwards-Helaire last year didn’t exactly pan out how they had hoped. After an incredible NFL debut game, Edwards-Helaire struggled to hit his stride as the season progressed. Despite racking up 800 yards through the ground last season, the rookie running back’s play was erratic and inconsistent at times. In 7 of his 13 starts last season, CEH failed to rush for over 50 yards throughout the span of a single game. Not to mention the fact he only managed to find the endzone five times as the lead running back of one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. It’s fair to say that Edward-Helaire’s rookie season turned out to be a bit of a disappointment.

So where does Gurley fit in the mix? After evaluating CEH’s rookie season, the Chiefs should be in the market for veteran back. Until Edwards-Helaire is ready to carry the load as a cowbell back, the more appropriate approach for the Chiefs would be running back by committee.

Unlike LeVeon Bell, Gurley’s running style is far more punishing and comparable to CEH’s. This would allow Andy Reid more flexibility with his play-calling and limit the offense’s predictability.  

But, there is a catch. Kansas City is running tight on cap space. Striking a deal between the two would likely mean Gurley settling for a more team-friendly contract. Taking a pay cut is a lot easier with a Super Bowl ring at stake.

Closing Thoughts

Unfortunately for Todd Gurley, many teams around the league have already filled their need for a veteran running back. Those who have not, will likely turn to the draft for a younger and cheaper option.

Here is the thing, Todd Gurley isn’t a bad running back, he’s just not the feature back he used to be. In the right scheme with the right opportunities, Todd Gurley could really shine. It’s only a matter of who he plays for and at what price.

Make no mistake, teams will come calling after the draft. It will ultimately be up to him  what role he decides to take up in the next chapter of his NFL career.

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