5 best RBs in 2024 free agency that NFL teams will look to sign

The running back market is looking enticing this offseason. Frustrated with teams not recognizing their value and paying them their worth, some of the top backs in the NFL have taken the call to test the waters of free agency. It is a double-edged sword for teams across the league because, on the one hand, they get an opportunity to recruit All-Pro players, but on the other hand, they will need to sacrifice their cap space by paying them big money.

This list features the top five running backs who are free agents at this moment. There is no doubt that these players will be on the roster of an NFL team within the next month considering their accomplishments. This list will feature the players in no particular order or ranking and determine the ideal situations for them.

With the availability of star running backs, teams are likely to go all in on trying their luck to bring players with a proven track record on board rather than take a chance in the NFL Draft. The Draft route is usually the way to go for teams looking to build a rushing attack but this year, it will not be the case.

5 best free agent running backs in 2024 that teams should sign

The free agents on this list are not satisfied with the extension deals being offered to them by their current teams. Teams are attempting to put their contracts on the backseat while offering the house to their respective quarterbacks and wide receivers. As an RB in the NFL, there are only so many years that the athletes can continue to perform at an elite level. Once they are past that stage, it becomes impossible for them to earn their spot on the roster of a team.

Without further ado, here’s the list of the top 5 best free-agent running backs that teams should sign in 2024:

1. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

Big surprise here? This name had to be on top of this list. Derrick Henry is going to be a free agent for the first time in his career. The 31-year-old is being viewed as a second-tier running back as per Diana Russini of The Athletic, a category in which he does not belong. 

Of all the backs available in free agency, Henry’s resume eclipses all of his peers. King Henry played in 17 games last season, rushing for 1,167 yards on 280 attempts, and scoring 12 touchdowns. He did not fumble the ball once.

His value has come down in the eyes of GMs across the league because this was technically a ‘down year’ for him, when compared to his previous seasons, Derrick Henry did not play as well but he still played significantly better than most backs in the NFL.

Henry’s days with the Tennessee Titans are most likely done but the best move for him now would be to put himself in a situation wherein his odds of winning a Super Bowl are high. Ideal destinations for him would be the Baltimore Ravens or the Houston Texans. Both teams could use his skillset and they will greatly benefit from his experience.

2. D’Andre Swift, Phildelphia Eagles

The Eagles had far from the ideal finish to their season. After getting off to a hot start to the regular season, the team ended up losing in the Wild Card Round to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. D’Andre Swift is coming off his best year in the NFL, having rushed for 1,049 yards and a Pro Bowl appearance. The hometown hero awaits a lucrative offer from his team for an extension. 

But his expectations may be short-lived because the Philadelphia Eagles have never been the team to spend a hefty chunk on the running back position. He is making less than $2 million as he is in the last year of his rookie contract.

If the Eagles can offer him a contract in the ballpark of $7 to $9 million, he is bound to stay with the team. The running back wants to stay with the team, but it does not mean that if the team underpays him, he’ll refuse to consider other options.

3. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

The New York Giants blew it, yet again. Last year, the team decided to offer quarterback Daniel Jones a whooping four-year $160 million contract. This move put Saquon Barkley in a weird position since he was forced to compromise and sign a one-year deal with the team in the last offseason worth $11 million. Jones went down with an Achilles injury and now the future of the Giants is in jeopardy. 

Barkley played 14 games this season rushing for 962 yards, and 6 rushing touchdowns. Despite the team switching between QBs through the season, the running back remained consistent, and he put these numbers up with a subpar offensive line.

The Giants cannot pay him his true value, and Barkley understands the running back situation in the league. You get as much as you can when you are at the top.

With that being said, he is in the top tier of RBs available in free agency. He would like to stay in New York, but the Giants do not see the point in making him the highest-paid RB in the NFL.

Ideal destinations for him should be the Houston Texans. Why? Because the team is coming off of a great year, they made a deep playoff run and were just two wins short of reaching the Super Bowl. Besides, the young roster would be the perfect environment for Barkley.

Another spot that he should really consider is LA. Not the Rams but the Los Angeles Chargers. With Jim Harbaugh at the helm, the culture within the organization is bound to be different, and not to mention, did you see what Harbaugh did with Blake Corum at Michigan this year?

4. Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys will need to make sure their entire roster remains as unchanged as possible. The team has the potential and chemistry to make a Super Bowl run. But Jerry Jones has sixteen players set to hit free agency this offseason, and six of them are offensive players. Tony Pollard is one of the key players.

Pollard was chosen over Ezekiel Elliott. He did not have a 1000-yard season this year but he did not do bad for a player coming off a surgery on his lower left leg. He played this year on the franchise tag and settled for $10 million.

The odds of him signing with another NFL team are unlikely. The reason is that he has expressed interest in remaining with Dak Prescott and on America’s team for a long time. In addition to this, he fits the offense best, and he is not likely to get above $8 million from other teams in the NFL because of the market.

5. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders

Josh Jacobs played in 13 games this season and recorded 805 rushing yards, along with 6 touchdowns. It was a rough year for the Las Vegas Raiders as an organization given their mid-season head coaching change.

To add to his woes, in the final month of the season, Jacobs was limited due to illness and injuries. This has resulted in his value taking a hit, but his contributions to the Raiders offense cannot be overlooked.

Josh Jacobs hasn’t been franchise-tagged this season and is right up there next to Saquon Barkley as one of the top free agents in the market this offseason. The odds of him returning to Vegas are slim, one of the reasons being GM Tom Telesco’s approach to utilize more than just one running back.

In a press conference on February 27th, Telesco revealed the team intends to play with more than one back on offense. Now, if this were the approach a team was taking, they would not put all their eggs in one basket. It would not make sense to bring Jacobs back by offering him a big contract and then proceeding to cut his workload. The teams he could go to are the Baltimore Ravens or the Dallas Cowboys if the latter is willing to spend on him. 

Honorable free agent running back mentions:

• Austin Ekeler
• J.K. Dobbins
• A.J. Dillon
• Gus Edwards

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