Tag: running backs

Know your 2024 USC football roster: Running Backs

USC football is Running Back U, and when Lincoln Riley’s offense is hitting on all cylinders it incorporates an consistent run game into the flow of play. Riley’s teams in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 at Oklahoma averaged more than 200 yards per …

USC football is Running Back U, and when Lincoln Riley’s offense is hitting on all cylinders it incorporates an consistent run game into the flow of play. Riley’s teams in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 at Oklahoma averaged more than 200 yards per game with guys like Kennedy Brooks, Rodney Anderson, Joe Mixon, and Samaje Perine.

This year’s running back room is full of talent and each back brings something special to the team, but it is an inexperienced group with only one back having more than 20 rushing attempts in a career. Anthony Jones Jr. is the new Trojan running backs coach. He is known for developing NFL talent in the backfield, so it will be interesting to see who will make their mark and emerge from this group in the fall.

Here is a brief look at each of the 2024 Trojan scholarship running backs with the projected pre-spring camp depth chart at the end.

Raiders miss out as free agent RB class stripped bare

Not 24 hours into free agency and all the good RBs are gone with the Raiders missing out

Not 24 hours into the free agent negotiating period and all the running backs worth mentioning are gone. One of which was Josh Jacobs heading to the Packers. But none of which saw the Raiders replace his spot on the roster. Leaving them with a need at the position.

The last big domino to fall was The King himself, Derrick Henry. He went to the Ravens. And with that, it’s crumbs in the RB free agent cupboard.

Adam Schefter listed out all the running backs who are changing teams this free agency period and it’s quite a list.

Some will simply say the Raiders have Zamir White, so they don’t need another running back. There are a few problems with that.

First and foremost, that new GM Tom Telesco made it clear they aren’t looking to have a workhorse back, but rather a committee situation in the Raiders backfield.

“From what I see he’s a very good player,” Telesco said of White. “He has size, he has speed, he has some nice vision, he had some nice production late in the year. But the way we’re going to play and a lot of teams play is you need more than one back. I don’t really see a lead back type thing. You need to have more than one. You need to have two, you need to have three. They all have different roles with the team. The way this game’s played, it’s hard to put that all on one person.”

White had a handful of very good games late last season. But it was by far the most work he had seen in his two-year career. He was as fresh as can be. We don’t know how well he would handle anything approaching the kind of workload Jacobs carried in his five seasons with the Raiders. And ‘there’s one way to find out’ is a risky and reckless approach.

What this leaves is either waiting around to see if any more backs are cut, feeling around to see who might be available via a trade, or — and seemingly the most likely option at this point — looking to the draft for one.

This isn’t considered a particularly strong RB class this year. But in recent years, decent running backs have been found in the mid rounds, so perhaps they can have one fall into their laps there.

Packers positions of need: Top performing RBs from NFL Combine

Highlighting the top performing running backs from the NFL Scouting Combine.

It’s not a matter of if the Green Bay Packers are going to draft a running back, but rather when will they make that move? With athletic testing playing a key role in the draft selections that Brian Gutekunst makes, here were the top performers at the running back position.

Relative Athletic Scores allow us to compare prospects within a position group through the lens of one simple figure. In short, the closer a prospect scores to 10 on the RAS scale, the better the athlete.

Gutekunst has made 54 draft picks during his tenure that have registered on the RAS scale and 40 of them have scored 8.0 or higher, with 25 of those 40 above the 9.0 mark. And, oftentimes, the earlier the pick in the draft, the higher the RAS.

To learn more about RAS and its connection to the Packers’ draft classes, click here.

With that said, running back is where we’ve seen a bit of a deviation from those aforementioned figures–although it is a small sample size. Gutekunst has selected four running backs, and two of them, Dexter Williams and AJ Dillon, scored above 8.0, with Dillon posting a RAS of 9.15.

Lew Nichols and Kylin Hill – two seventh round picks – were close, scoring 7.83 and 7.28, respectively, but both just shy of the line in the sand that has been drawn at 8.0.

Following the NFL Combine, below you will find all of the running backs who posted a RAS of 8.0 or higher.

Isaac Guerendo, Louisville: 9.98
Tyrone Tracy Jr., Purdue: 9.87
Jaylen Wright, Tennessee: 9.81
Trey Benson, Florida State: 9.77
MarShawn Lloyd, USC: 9.29
Dylan Laube, New Hampshire: 9.21
Kimani Vidal, Troy: 8.84
Isaiah Davis, South Dakota State: 8.73
Kendall Milton, Georgia: 8.68
Audric Estime, Notre Dame: 8.59
Blake Corum, Michigan: 8.48
George Holani, Boise State: 8.44

The Packers and Aaron Jones’ need to come to an agreement on a reworked contract, whether that be through a restructure, or Jones taking a pay cut, to lower his hefty $17.1 million cap hit for the 2024 season.

However, I’m guessing the Packers want to avoid a restructure if possible, given that this is the final year of Jones’ contract, and he already comes with a dead cap hit of $6.63 million in 2025 before another restructure takes place.

Although there is still work to be done to lower Jones’ cap hit, Gutekunst was pretty direct during his season-ending press conference in saying he wants Jones to be back this season–and why wouldn’t he? Jones’ impact on this offense when healthy is massive, and not only in the run game, but the passing game as well.

“He changed a lot of the way we operated when he was in there and healthy,” Gutekunst said. “For us, it’s finding a way to keep him out there and keeping him healthy. He’s such an influential leader in our locker room. The heartbeat of our team.”

But, even with Jones likely returning, behind him on the depth chart is a major unknown. AJ Dillon is a free agent, and Tom Silverstein recently reported that he isn’t expected to return. This leaves the Packers with Emanuel Wilson – once he’s officially back as an exclusive rights free agent – and Ellis Merriweather at the running back position.

Perhaps Wilson can earn the second running back role or at least additional responsibilities this season, but there will absolutely be competition for that playing time that takes place this summer.

What the Packers need behind Jones is another dynamic presence. With the Packers again going to be mindful of Jones’ snap count, that second running back is going to get his share of touches. And while Dillon was reliable, he was limited, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry this past season.

Even if the Packers do end up moving on from Dillon, which is the direction that the wind is blowing, that doesn’t mean there won’t be a Dillon-like presence on the roster at running back. In fact, having that skill set is important to Gutekunst.

“I do think we would always like to have one power, bigger back on the roster for short-yardage situations and playing in the weather and closing out games,” Gutekunst said via Packers.com.

Along with the obvious need for a running back to be effective with the ball in his hands, what can’t be overlooked is the importance of pass-blocking and pass-catching at that position within the Packers’ offense, something both Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur have discussed in the past. It’s these elements that not only determine playing time, but roster spots as well.

As Gutekunst said, the offense operates differently when Jones is on the field, and although not many can impact the game as he does, what the Packers need is more playmaking when he isn’t out there. There’s, of course, the big-play ability that a home run presence can bring, but when the defense is mindful of the run, that then opens up opportunities in the passing game for the offense as well.

The Packers addressing the running back position also isn’t solely about 2024 either; as already mentioned, this is the final year of Jones’ deal, which means it could be his last in Green Bay. And whether or not that is the case, the Packers need to prepare like it’s going to be.

2024 Bucs offseason preview: Running back

The Bucs found a versatile back in Rachaad White, but they could use someone else to lighten his workload in 2024.

For nearly a decade, the Buccaneers sought a running back who could be a dangerous offensive weapon and a reliable ball carrier. Rachaad White is as close as they have gotten in a long time.

White’s 1,539 yards from scrimmage in 2023 is the most recorded by any Bucs player since Doug Martin in 2015. He managed to do this despite running behind one of the worst run-blocking offensive lines in the league, limiting him to a mere 990 rush yards for just 3.6 yards per attempt.

Overall, the Bucs averaged -0.166 EPA per play when running down, sixth-worst in the NFL, with a league-worst 32% success rate. White is not wholly without blame, as he recorded -110 rush yards over expected, among the worst in the NFL per Next Gen Stats. A pure running back Rachaad White is not.

Instead, White found his calling as a versatile weapon, recording the third-most receiving yards (549), third-most yards per reception (9.6) and the third-highest catch rate (91.4%) among all running backs (minimum 45 targets).

Suffice to say, Rachaad White is entering the 2024 offseason as the incumbent starter in Tampa Bay. That is not likely to change.

However, White’s ascendence does not preclude the addition of more help. White may be a victim of his own success, recording 336 total touches, second-most of any NFL player behind only Christian McCaffrey. That level of work is rarely sustainable and is more likely to shorten White’s career.

The Bucs had little choice but to lean heavily on White as the rest of their running backs were simply unreliable. Chase Edmonds had his moments as the change-of-pace back, but his history of injuries continued in Tampa Bay. Edmonds missed four games despite taking just 63 touches in 2023.

After Edmonds, the Bucs had next to no production at running back. 2020 third-rounder Ke’Shawn Vaughn played his way out of Tampa Bay thanks both to his unwillingness to ride the pine and his total ineffectiveness, averaging 1.8 yards per carry last season.

Undrafted rookie Sean Tucker flashed in training camp, but after averaging 1.5 yards through Week 3, he did not touch the ball for the rest of the season.

The Bucs can ill-afford to go another season hoping that White can power through one of the heaviest workloads in the NFL or that Edmonds and Tucker will provide sufficient depth. More talent is needed.

The draft is the most obvious answer to Tampa Bay’s depth issues. The Bucs need a back who can take some of the grittier carries from White, who thrives in space but struggles with chaotic between-the-tackles running. Washington’s Dillon Johnson and Notre Dame’s Audric Estime are bigger, more powerful backs known for toughness and hard-nosed running, a perfect complement to White’s finesse and speed.

At 5’8 and 195 pounds, Southern Miss RB Frank Gore Jr. would be less thunder to White’s lightning and more of a second bolt across the sky. Gore Jr. has excellent movement skills and was one of the hardest running backs to bring down in college football last year, breaking 67 tackles.

The Bucs are less likely to rely on a veteran to be White’s principal backup, but they could still explore the free-agent market. Damien Harris was a non-factor in Buffalo last year, but his success in New England was not so long ago to be completely forgotten. Harris’ 15 touchdowns in 2021 are a testament to his ability to get tough yards even against a stacked line.

The Bucs could also look at former Packers RB A.J. Dillon, who did not pan out the way Green Bay hoped after taking him in the second round of the 2020 draft. Nevertheless, he was a versatile piece of the Packers offense behind starter Aaron Jones, averaging 8.9 yards per reception in his NFL career.

Regardless of who the Bucs add to the running back room, the real key to improving the run game is improving the offensive line. Such an undertaking does not manifest overnight, so the Bucs still need to pair line upgrades with help for Rachaad White this offseason.

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What Condition the Position is in: Assessing Raiders need at RB

What Condition Raiders Position is in: Running back

With free agency under a month away, it’s time to check in on the Raiders’ running back position to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.

Starter: Zamir White
Backups: Brittain Brown, Austin Walter, Sincere McCormick, Tyreik McAllister
Free Agents: Josh Jacobs, Ameer Abdullah, Brandon Bolden, Jakob Johnson

Jacobs was having a down season even before he was lost to injury. White stepped in and started the final four games, averaging just under 100 yards per game.

Condition: Unstable

Jacobs is headed for free agency again and this time they won’t be using the franchise tag on him which would pay him over $14 million next season. White has a couple great games late in the season, but had shown no indication he could be a full time starter prior to that, so another decent option would be smart.

Johnson was the team’s primary fullback and they could probably bring him easily if they wished to do so.

Klint Kubiak-Derrick Foster pairing can maximize Saints’ running backs

The Klint Kubiak-Derrick Foster pairing should ensure Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller’s versatility is maximized in 2024:

As the New Orleans Saints fill out the offensive coaching staff, they have closed in on Derrick Foster as their running backs coach. Foster comes over to New Orleans after three years with the Los Angeles Chargers in the same position. He’ll be working under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, and the pairing has the potential to elevate the running backs room.

The versatility of Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller can be maximized by this coaching duo. In Foster’s two years in Los Angeles, running back Austin Ekeler led the league in total touchdowns (rushing and receiving). His tutelage will likely leave a larger impression on Miller as a young player, but Kamara will benefit as well from a coach familiar with using a versatile player, such as Kamara.

Kubiak has a similar level of expertise. He worked with Christian McCaffrey, this year’s leader in touchdowns, on the San Francisco 49ers. Seeing Kyle Shanahan get the most out of McCaffrey’s many talents has to have taught him some things in how to best deploy Kamara.

The combination of Kubiak installing a running back-friendly scheme and familiarity with dual-threat playmakers should help the Saints maximize the talents at the position. Expect more catches and touchdowns for both Kamara and Miller in 2024.

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Giants hire longtime Saints running backs coach Joel Thomas

The Giants hired longtime Saints running backs coach Joel Thomas. More changes are hitting the New Orleans coaching staff:

This seemed to be likely: the New York Giants announced that Joel Thomas will take over as their running backs coach on Brian Daboll’s staff, marking the latest departure from the New Orleans Saints. Thomas had worked with the Saints since 2015 but he’ll be leaving in a lateral move.

It’s another shakeup on the offensive side of the ball in New Orleans. The Saints rushing attack fell off in recent years, finishing 21st, 19th, and 15th in rushing yards each of the last three seasons while totaling 37 touchdown runs in their last 51 games.

Notably, Thomas is the only position coach that Alvin Kamara has known in his Saints career. The fan-favorite running back has a couple of years left on his contract but speculation has swirled that he could be on the trade block in the near future as one of the team’s few enviable assets. Hopefully he’s receptive to a new position coach who can help Kamara get back to the record-breaking form we saw in years past so he can finish his career in black and gold.

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Alvin Kamara ranked a bottom-10 running back by NFL analyst

Maurice Jones-Drew ranked Alvin Kamara as a bottom-10 starting running back after posting some of the lowest averages of his career in 2023:

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara didn’t have his best season in 2023, finishing with some of the worst numbers of his pro career. Due to this, NFL Network’s Maurice Jones-Drew ranked Kamara as the 26th running back in the league out of 32 starters, which is still an eye-opening statement.

But here’s what Jones-Drew wrote to back up his claim:

“Alvin Kamara had one of his worst statistical seasons in 2023, in part due to his early-season suspension, and because he missed the final week with an ankle injury. Even when he was on the field, he wasn’t all that efficient in the run game, posting his second sub-4.0 yard-per-carry mark for a season in his career. Another factor: The offense spent a lot of 2023 out of sync and struggled to sustain drives.”

Jones-Drew is correct to point out Kamara’s missed games while also pointing out Kamara’s subpar averages. Kamara averaged his second-fewest yards per carry (3.9) and posted the lowest yards per catch (6.2) of his career. There hasn’t been a lot going right around Kamara and it has significantly hindered Kamara’s production. Some of that is to be expected as he ages and the wear and tear of life in the NFL stacks up, but some of the blame should go to his coaches’ uncreative play calling, too.

Hopefully 2024 can be a bounce-back year for Kamara. He’s working with a quarterback who is all too eager to throw to his running backs in Derek Carr and that alone should help him get more touches than we’ve seen as of late. With that said, it’s also important for the Saints to invest in a better backup plan in case Kamara continues to regress or miss more time.

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Notre Dame Football: Estime Top Pro Football Focus Running Back Rankings for 2023

A truly GREAT year for #7!

Now that the 2023 season has completely come to an end its a good time to look back at the year that was.

For Notre Dame, that meant a return to having a truly elite college running back.

Yes, Notre Dame has had some really good backs in recent years but it’s difficult to put any in quite some time in the same level of [autotag]Audric Estime[/autotag] in 2023.  Estime was the lead-back for the Irish and ran for over 1,300 yards, a number that could have threatened 1,500 if he were to have gotten 2-3 more carries a game.

Just how good was Estime in 2023?  Pro Football Focus released their top-10 graded running backs across college football for the year and you can see for yourself just how well he stacked up.

Giants interview Saints RB coach Joel Thomas for a possible lateral move

The Giants are interviewing Saints running backs coach Joel Thomas for the same position. Approving a lateral move suggests changes are coming for New Orleans:

This is interesting: NFL Network’s Ian Rapport reports that the New York Giants are interviewing Joel Thomas for their open running backs coach job. That’s the same position Thomas has held on staff with the New Orleans Saints, meaning the team has given him permission to seek a lateral move — which suggests changes are on the way on Airline Drive.

Thomas is one of the longest-tenures members of the Saints coaching staff, having held his current post since 2015, and he’s the only position coach that Alvin Kamara has had during his storied career. Moving on from him would be a big shakeup.

But the New Orleans rushing attack has struggled to get going in recent years. As a team, they averaged the second-fewest yards per carry (3.6) in 2023. The Saints ranked 21st in rushing yards per game (102.5) and they didn’t have a single carry gain 20 or more yards by their running backs all season. It’s true that their offensive line hasn’t met expectations, but their running backs haven’t done enough to make a difference, either.

Thomas has drawn attention from other teams before. He interviewed for the Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator job last offseason. Before that, he was a candidate to take over as head coach at his Idaho alma mater. He’s a respected coach and this interest from the Giants suggests he’ll land on his feet if the Saints are intending to make a change in the weeks ahead.

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