2012 NFL Free Agents: Bargain RBs Who Will Pay Huge Dividends

Giving a massive contract to an NFL running back is risky because the position is one of the toughest to play in football and injuries are a common occurrence.

With this said, it's smarter to look for rushers who can be signed to low-risk, high-reward bargain contracts that can pay huge dividends.

Let's look at three bargain running backs who will play an important role for their new teams next season.

1) Mike Tolbert

The San Diego Chargers running back is an all-around talent who can be effective on the ground but can also play a large role in the short passing game.

Last season, Tolbert rushed for 490 yards with eight touchdowns on 4.1 yards per carry. He can be a starter or a backup also, and his size and strength makes him a fantastic goal-line option.

Tolbert is a restricted free agent, so the Chargers will have a good chance of re-signing him, but it might make more sense for them to re-up backup running back Jacob Hester instead, as it will be cheaper to sign him.

2) Jackie Battle

Jackie Battle became a fantasy football star for a few weeks this season when he broke out as a legitimate running back in the absence of the injured Jamaal Charles for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Battle rushed for 597 yards and two touchdowns last season for the Chiefs, and also showed he could be an effective receiver when called upon for that role.

He's an unrestricted free agent, and while he is a talented young player, a foot injury that caused him to be put on injured reserve before the season finale may scare off potential suitors in free agency.

Battle is a good running back that could fill a team's need as a starter, a backup or even a third-down rusher.

3) John Kuhn

The Green Bay Packers running back isn't going to wow you with extraordinary plays or light up the stat sheet, but he's very effective in his role as a backup, a third-down guy and a goal-line specialist. His size and strength makes him a great short-yardage specialist.

Kuhn's versatility is very valuable to his team, and although the Packers would likely prefer to re-sign him since he's talented and a fan favorite, as an unrestricted free agent I'm sure several teams will be interested in signing him. 

The Packers would be better served looking for a running back in the draft.