Seven games into Derrick Henry’s first season with the Baltimore Ravens, he leads NFL running backs in scrimmage yards per game. The longtime former Tennessee Titan’s rushing averages are career highs through seven games, both on per-game and per-carry bases.
The Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley, formerly of the New York Giants, ranks second to Henry in scrimmage yards per game by running backs. His yards rushing per game are a career best to this point in a season.
Both running backs were available for all 32 teams to pursue as free agents. Henry and Barkley had company. Fellow running backs Josh Jacobs, Joe Mixon, DeAndre Swift and Aaron Jones are all producing at high levels for new teams that upped their financial investments at the position (Mixon was traded for a seventh-round pick, while the others reached free agency).
“The Giants’ thing, I don’t really understand,” Bill Belichick said on the Pat McAfee Show. “(Barkley) was their best player. For a couple million dollars more, they could have kept him. Instead, they got a guard or somebody.”
The decisions surrounding these running backs were long-term strategic ones with aspects unique to each situation. There can be no final judgments entering Week 8, with more than 60 percent of games still unplayed. But the early returns have been extreme enough to reconsider how teams value running backs in a pass-oriented league, and how these teams in particular handled the position.
So far, the way 14 teams handled offseason changes relating to 15 running backs reveals that teams are generally getting what they paid for when addressing the position in the veteran market.
First, we consider year-over-year changes in running back yards from scrimmage, highlighting notable teams.
| Rank | Team | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
 Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
164.4
|
+54.3
|
|
2
|
 Baltimore Ravens |
177.7
|
+41.3
|
|
3
|
 Minnesota Vikings |
142.8
|
+39.0
|
|
4
|
 Detroit Lions |
191.7
|
+35.6
|
|
5
|
 Philadelphia Eagles |
150.8
|
+34.0
|
|
6
|
 Houston Texans |
139.1
|
+33.7
|
|
7
|
 Los Angeles Chargers |
127.3
|
+31.0
|
|
8
|
 Washington Commanders |
146.1
|
+25.5
|
|
9
|
 Jacksonville Jaguars |
132.3
|
+22.3
|
|
10
|
 Green Bay Packers |
138.1
|
+19.1
|
|
11
|
 Arizona Cardinals |
134.7
|
+17.9
|
|
12
|
 New Orleans Saints |
128.1
|
+15.4
|
|
13
|
 Carolina Panthers |
119.1
|
+12.6
|
|
14
|
 New York Giants |
106.4
|
+10.4
|
|
15
|
 New England Patriots |
123.7
|
+9.9
|
|
16
|
 Kansas City Chiefs |
119.0
|
+4.2
|
|
17
|
 New York Jets |
128.9
|
+4.1
|
|
18
|
 Seattle Seahawks |
115.4
|
+3.8
|
|
19
|
 Cincinnati Bengals |
110.9
|
+2.9
|
|
20
|
 Atlanta Falcons |
153.9
|
+1.5
|
|
21
|
 Chicago Bears |
116.7
|
-0.4
|
|
22
|
 Dallas Cowboys |
111.2
|
-2.8
|
|
23
|
 Pittsburgh Steelers |
133.9
|
-5.5
|
|
24
|
 Las Vegas Raiders |
103.7
|
-8.8
|
|
25
|
 Buffalo Bills |
128.1
|
-9.1
|
|
26
|
 San Francisco 49ers |
147.7
|
-11.2
|
|
27
|
 Tennessee Titans |
117.0
|
-14.2
|
|
28
|
 Miami Dolphins |
149.3
|
-18.1
|
|
29
|
 Los Angeles Rams |
105.0
|
-18.2
|
|
30
|
 Denver Broncos |
114.0
|
-20.2
|
|
31
|
 Indianapolis Colts |
110.4
|
-20.8
|
|
32
|
 Cleveland Browns |
98.3
|
-28.5
|
The six teams shaded blue in the table above — Baltimore, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Houston, Green Bay and Chicago — increased their investments at the position by acquiring veterans earning at least $7 million per year.
The four teams shaded red — the New York Giants, Cincinnati, Dallas and Las Vegas — parted with expensive backs to go cheaper at the position.
The lone team shaded gray (Tennessee) paid about as much per season for newcomer Tony Pollard ($7.25 million) as its former runner, Henry, commanded from the Ravens ($8 million).
Getting what they paid for: Pricey RB upgrades
|
RB Added
|
APY
▼
|
Tm RB Yds +/-
|
RB Replaced
|
APY
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$12.6M
|
+34.0/G
|
Swift (CHI)
|
$8M
|
|
|
$12M
|
+19.1/G
|
Jones (MIN)
|
$7M
|
|
|
$9.9M
|
+33.7/G
|
Singletary (NYG)
|
$5.5M
|
|
|
$8M
|
+41.3/G
|
Edwards/Dobbins (LAC)
|
$4.9M
|
|
|
$8M
|
-0.4/G
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
|
|
$7M
|
+39.0/G
|
Mattison (LV)
|
$2M
|
The Eagles, Packers, Texans, Ravens and Vikings are gaining, on average, 33.4 additional scrimmage yards per game from running backs this season compared to last. All six teams above except Chicago rank among the NFL’s top 11 in running back scrimmage yards per game through Week 7.
• Baltimore Ravens: Henry, playing on a two-year deal at age 30, leads all running backs in scrimmage yards per game (133.6). His 87- and 81-yard runs are the longest in the league this season. He’s a better fit in Baltimore than he was in Tennessee — the perfect addition for a team whose identity is toughness.
• Philadelphia Eagles: Barkley is averaging 126.8 scrimmage yards per game. He’s second to Henry for an Eagles team that ranks fifth in that category at the position. Barkley’s former team ranks 29th, which makes the Eagles’ signing of Barkley look better, but the Giants were 32nd last year with Barkley starting 14 games.
• Green Bay Packers: The Packers could have kept Aaron Jones, but they paid more to sign the younger Josh Jacobs, who ranks 12th among backs in scrimmage yards per game (93.9) and sixth in total scrimmage yards (657).
• Houston Texans: Mixon was headed for free agency when the Texans acquired him for a seventh-round pick in hopes the move would help them extend Mixon’s deal before he reached the market. The strategy worked. Mixon signed a long-term deal. He has missed three games to injury, which explains why he ranks third among backs in scrimmage yards per game (121.0) but only 18th in total yards (484). Houston has averaged 74.7 fewer scrimmage yards from running backs in the three full games Mixon missed (107.0) than in the three full games he has played (181.7).
• Chicago Bears: The Bears lag and remain at a slight year-over-year deficit in scrimmage yards from running backs, but they are trending positively. D’Andre Swift (86.3 yards per game, 19th) has gained 404 yards over Chicago’s past three games following a slow start.
• Minnesota Vikings: The Packers’ decision to move on from Jones was fine by the Vikings, who signed him to a one-year deal with voidable years. Jones ranks sixth in scrimmage yards per game (105.5).
Getting what they deserved? Teams saving money
|
RB Added
|
APY
|
TM RB YDS +/-
|
RB Replaced
|
APY
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$5.5M
|
+10.4/G
|
Saquon Barkley
|
$12.6M
|
|
|
$4M
|
+2.9/G
|
Joe Mixon
|
$9.9M
|
|
|
$2M
|
-8.8/G
|
Josh Jacobs
|
$12M
|
|
|
$2M
|
-2.8/G
|
Tony Pollard
|
$7.3M
|
The Giants, Bengals, Raiders and Cowboys rank among the seven worst teams in running back scrimmage yards through Week 7. Their production year-over-year is flat on average, partly because the Giants’ 2023 averages were so low.
We cannot assume all the running backs these teams lost would be flourishing to the same degree if their 2023 teams had re-signed them. We can’t even assume those running backs would have re-signed for the terms they accepted elsewhere. But we can say these teams would probably be better at the position if they’d kept the running backs they did not keep.
• New York Giants: Devin Singletary ranks 33rd in scrimmage yards per game by running backs (62.8), 10 spots higher than rookie fifth-round pick Tyrone Tracy Jr. (48.4). Those two have gotten the work Barkley would be getting if the Giants had kept him. Barkley averaged 88.7 scrimmage yards per game last season and 103.1 in 2022. The 126.8-yard pace he’s setting in Philadelphia this season surely reflects a more favorable environment for him.
• Cincinnati Bengals: Zack Moss ranks 36th in scrimmage yards per game (55.7), two spots ahead of teammate Chase Brown (55.1). Mixon is averaging more than both of them combined for a Texans team that is much more run-oriented by design.
• Las Vegas Raiders: Alexander Mattison ranks 34th in scrimmage yards per game (59.4) as the primary replacement for Jacobs, who appears reborn in Green Bay.
• Dallas Cowboys: While the Cowboys did bring back Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle leads the team’s running backs in touches (75) and scrimmage yards per game (62.8, which ranks 69th among running backs). That’s less than what Pollard is averaging with Tennessee (81.0) and about half what the bigger-ticket veteran running backs acquired by other teams are averaging.
Owner Jerry Jones presumably had the Cowboys’ leaky defense in mind when he suggested Henry wouldn’t be having a career year if he had signed with Dallas, which has trailed on 63 percent of plays, the seventh-highest rate in the league, per TruMedia.
Got cute and paid a price?
Only five teams have lost more running back scrimmage yards per game than the Titans have lost.
| RB Added | APY | TM RB Yds +/- | RB Replaced | APY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$7.3
|
-14.2
|
Derrick Henry
|
$8M
|
• Tennessee Titans: The Titans got younger at the position by replacing Henry with Pollard (81.0 scrimmage yards per game, 22nd). They also subtracted the player whom opposing defenses had to respect the most. Defenses would have an easier time slowing Henry in Tennessee than in Baltimore, where Lamar Jackson’s presence and the offensive infrastructure maximize Henry’s production. That lessens the sting only so much, however.
Smaller-scale tradeoffs with interesting results
|
RB Added
|
APY
|
Tm RB Yds +/-
|
RB Replaced
|
APY
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$4.9M
|
+31.0/G
|
Austin Ekeler
|
$4.2M
|
|
|
$4.2M
|
+25.5/G
|
Antonio Gibson
|
$3.8M
|
|
|
$3.8M
|
+9.9/G
|
Ezekiel Elliott
|
$2M
|
• Los Angeles Chargers: Jim Harbaugh brought a run-game mentality to the Chargers and did well in signing former Ravens running backs J.K. Dobbins (15th in scrimmage yards per game with 92.3) and Gus Edwards (62nd, 28.8). Both played for Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, in Baltimore, so the fit was natural.
• Washington Commanders: Holdover Brian Robinson (23rd in scrimmage yards per game with 77.3) and former Charger Austin Ekeler (30th, 64.8) help the Commanders rank eighth in scrimmage yards per game at the position. The scheme change and increased quarterback run threat help maximize the output at reasonable prices.
• New England Patriots: The Patriots got younger by adding Antonio Gibson (41st, 49.9) and moving on from Elliott.
The chart above shows the annual franchise tag value for running backs dipping in recent years before increasing to $11.6 million in 2024. That is up only slightly from $11.2 million in 2019.
Teams in recent years have become wary of paying veteran running backs near the top of the market, mindful of these players’ shorter careers and diminishing returns as they age.
Henry is proving to be an outlier. Time will tell whether Barkley, Jacobs, Mixon and Swift stay healthy long enough to justify their higher salaries.
The results so far this season reflect, at least to some degree, what happens when talented players leave bad situations for more favorable ones. That phenomenon transcends positions, with Sam Darnold’s experience as a Minnesota Vikings atop the list this season.
“I think what we’re seeing here is that elite backs are still worth paying, especially if they contribute on third down,” an exec said. “And then, trying to reinvent the wheel to save a couple bucks generally doesn’t work.”
(Photo of Derrick Henry: Julio Aguilar / Getty Images)
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