NFL free agency 2021: Best running backs available

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 16: Aaron Jones #33 of the Green Bay Packers runs with the ball in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Rams during the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lambeau Field on January 16, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

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LANDOVER, MARYLAND – DECEMBER 27: Mike Davis #28 of the Carolina Panthers runs with the ball against the Washington Football Team during the second quarter at FedExField on December 27, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /

Running backs don’t get big free agent deals in the modern NFL, but these five guys can be difference-makers for the teams that sign them.

Handing a big-money deal to a running back is a good way for an NFL General Manager to get laughed out of the building. That doesn’t mean this year’s class of free agent rushers should be ignored. For the right price, any of the five players on this list can make a real impact for a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.

The days of a single running back soaking up all the carries in a single backfield are largely over. Most smart teams in the league now split their workloads between multiple backs. The really smart franchises find a way to build relatively cheap backfields stocked full of guys who do different things well.

It will be very interesting to see what sort of market develops for the top backs in this year’s class. Each has a particular set of strengths that can appeal to certain coaches, but it’s hard to imagine big deals for all but the top back in this year’s class. The list starts with a guy who did yeoman’s work after his team’s superstar went down with an injury.

5. Mike Davis

Davis’ 2020 season didn’t make fans in Carolina forget about Christian McCaffrey, but he did a reasonable job of filling in for the All-Pro. His versatility as both a physical runner and a quality pass-catcher should earn him decent offers on the open market.

Interested teams are going to be cautious about Davis’ troubling average of just 3.9 yards per carry. The Panthers didn’t put a great offensive line in front of him on a weekly basis, but he doesn’t have a ton of wiggle when it comes to avoiding tacklers in and around the line of scrimmage.

Giving Davis a short-term deal with modest guaranteed money will be a reasonable move for someone. Paying him like an above-average starter would be an expensive mistake.

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