Ranking the Impact of Top RB Additions Made This NFL Offseason
An unusual number of high-profile running backs changed teams during the 2015 NFL offseason.
The league's rushing champ took big money from a division rival. The 2013 rushing champ was dealt for a linebacker coming off ACL surgery. The most consistent back of this generation left the only franchise he's ever known to team up with the game's best young quarterback.
That's just a sampling of the many major transactions that were made at running back this offseason.
In the following slides, we will rank the impact of the top running back additions ahead of the 2015 season. The rankings will be based on potential usage and production for the backs within their new offenses.
Note: Rookies are not included.
Honorable Mentions
1 of 8
Stevan Ridley, New York Jets: He rushed for 1,263 yards and 12 scores in 2012 before fumbling issues put him in the doghouse. He has a career rushing average of 4.3 yards per carry but is coming off an ACL injury.
Roy Helu Jr., Oakland Raiders: He averaged 5.4 yards per carry and caught 42 passes for almost 500 yards in 2014. The 26-year-old is ready for a bigger role.
Trent Richardson, Oakland Raiders: Can he do anything with his last chance? Running backs averaging 3.3 yards per carry don't last long in the NFL.
Darren McFadden, Dallas Cowboys: He's physically talented but demonstratively frail. If healthy, he could produce numbers behind the Dallas offensive line.
DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers: He's the presumed starter for the three games of Le'Veon Bell's suspension. He might not have much left at 32 years old.
Jacquizz Rodgers, Chicago Bears: While never a featured player in Atlanta, his diverse skill set should help take some pressure off Matt Forte's shoulders. He's still only 25.
7. Ryan Mathews, Philadelphia Eagles
2 of 8
DeMarco Murray was the prize of the running back class in free agency, but don't sleep on Philadelphia's secondary addition of Mathews. It was only two short years ago that Mathews rushed for nearly 1,300 yards in San Diego, and he carries a nifty career average of 4.4 yards over nearly 1,000 attempts.
There are injury concerns here (20 missed games over five seasons), but playing behind Murray should keep Mathews in the 100-touch range in 2015. He could be dynamic in that role.
Stat to Know: Matthews averaged 2.77 yards after contact in 2014, which ranked ninth among running backs with at least 50 carries, per Pro Football Focus.
Quotable: "Big, physical running back," head coach Chip Kelly said, via Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. "I don't think you know actually how big he is until you actually pull up next to him. He's almost 230 pounds. He's explosive. When he sees a hole, he can change gears and accelerate through it."
6. Reggie Bush, San Francisco 49ers
3 of 8
Bush averaged 3.9 yards per carry and 6.3 yards per catch during an injury-plagued 2014 season. Both were his lowest totals since leaving New Orleans in 2011.
Are we to assume the 30-year-old Bush is done? Don't bank on it. The 49ers will likely feature him as their go-to back on passing downs, and it wouldn't be shocking to see the veteran steal carries that most have ticketed for the up-and-coming Carlos Hyde.
If healthy for 16 games, Bush could easily eclipse 150 touches while also contributing on special teams as a punt returner.
Stat to Know: Over a mostly healthy 14-game season in 2013, Bush forced 51 missed tackles and created 11 plays over 20 yards, per Pro Football Focus.
Quotable: “I think he’s got a lot of really good football left in him,” 49ers offensive coordinator Geep Chryst said, via the team's official site. “I would say that’s the No. 1 thing, just how energetic, how conditioned and how eager he is to take practice reps. That’s a great thing. We’re coaches, we like practice."
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
5. Shane Vereen, New York Giants
4 of 8
It's easy to get trapped in the "third-down back" label with Shane Vereen. He will certainly handle passing-game duties in New York, but his impact should transcend beyond third down. Rashad Jennings has never played a full 16-game season, and Andre Williams plodded his way to just 3.3 yards per carry as a rookie.
Vereen had a career-high 96 carries in New England last season, and it wasn't too much for him. Expect him to tally at least 60 catches in Ben McAdoo's offense, with the possibility of another 50-75 touches as a runner. The Giants should feature him in an offense tailor-made to attack with an uptempo passing game.
Stat to Know: Vereen's 18 catches were the third-most during the 2014 postseason, regardless of position.
Quotable: "You can see why Shane has had some of the success he has had," McAdoo said, per Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. "He can be a quarterback's best friend in a way in the passing game."
4. Frank Gore, Indianapolis Colts
5 of 8
There's obvious risk in betting on a 32-year-old running back with almost 3,000 career touches. Sudden regression and injury both come with the territory. But the ever-steady Gore probably demands a different level of respect.
Despite facing mostly base defenses over his 10 years in San Francisco, Gore still averaged 1,107 yards per season while missing only 12 games. Now, the crafty veteran will play with Andrew Luck and a dynamic set of receivers in Indianapolis.
If he can stay healthy, Gore should play all three downs and gobble up touches against favorable fronts. Expect his efficiency to improve with the Colts.
Stat to Know: Per Scott Kacsmar of Football Outsiders, Gore faced eight or more defenders in the box on 76 of his carries last season—most among running backs.
Quotable: "He’s a tough, hard-nosed, every-down back," Colts head coach Chuck Pagago said, per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area. "He can play all three downs. He’s a great protector in pass-pro. He catches the ball out of the backfield. We all know what he can do as a runner on early downs. He loves football."
3. LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills
6 of 8
The 2013 rushing champion is starting over in Buffalo as Rex Ryan's go-to feature back. McCoy will play in a worse offense behind a potentially weaker offensive line, but there's little question about the volume of touches he'll receive.
At his very best in Philadelphia, McCoy carried 314 times and caught 52 passes over a 2,146-yard, 11-touchdown season. The Bills will likely give him a similar workload in 2015. A healthy, 16-game season will almost certainly see McCoy carry more than 300 times. Efficiency will be his key.
Stat to Know: McCoy's 26 rushes of 15 or more yards led the NFL in 2013, while his three carries over 40 yards ranked second.
Quotable: "He makes you look silly," Washington linebacker Ryan Kerrigan said on the Bills official site. "He gets you with that jump cut every time. You're closing down, you think you got him, he's dead to rights, and then (he does that) little jump cut and you're on the ground and he's running downfield. That dude, he is a nightmare to face."
2. C.J. Spiller, New Orleans Saints
7 of 8
Room is becoming hard to find on the Spiller bandwagon. Once a 1,200-yard rusher in Buffalo, the versatile and explosive Spiller is now set to be a featured member of the Drew Brees-led Saints offense.
New Orleans spent the offseason becoming more run-centric, which means carries should be available for Spiller despite the return of Mark Ingram. He will make an impact in the passing game, where Spiller could be in line for 80 or more targets.
It's time to get on board. If Spiller stays healthy, monster numbers could follow.
Stat to Know: Spiller forced 66 missed tackles, averaged 3.58 yards after contact and dropped just one pass over 16 games in 2012, per Pro Football Focus.
Quotable: "He's got some of the quickness and the speed and kind of that slash element like a (Darren) Sproles, but he's bigger in stature like a Pierre (Thomas)," Brees said, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. "So there's really not anything he can't do."
1. DeMarco Murray, Philadelphia Eagles
8 of 8
What do you get when you plug in the reigning rushing champion to an offense led by a run-heavy play-caller craving his running style? The top running back addition of the 2015 offseason.
Chip Kelly and the Eagles tired of LeSean McCoy's dancing and dealt him to Buffalo, paving the way for Murray to take over as Philadelphia's lead back. He won't receive 393 carries for the Eagles, which means another 1,800-yard season is probably unlikely.
But even with 300 or so carries, expect a one-cut runner like Murray to thrive in Kelly's system. He could average close to five yards per carry with 15 or more touchdowns in 2015.
Stat to Know: Last season, Murray led the NFL in attempts per game (24.5), rushing yards per game (115.3), rushing yards (1,845), rushing touchdowns (13), first-down runs (85), 15-yard runs (27) and 40-yard runs (3).
Quotable: "He’s a perfect fit for us," running back coach Duce Staley said, according to Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com. "Exactly what we want to do: Full-steam ahead, downhill, that’s what we’re preaching every day. One, two, three, four yards and a cloud of dust. All the backs we have, they’re able to do that."
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
