2017 NFL Free Agency: 5 Backup Running Backs Los Angeles Rams Should Consider

Here’s a look at five running backs the Los Angeles Rams should consider signing in free agency as a backup to Todd Gurley.

From fixing the issues at offensive line to providing Jared Goff with more weapons in the passing game, the Los Angeles Rams have plenty on their plate once the 2017 NFL free agency period begins in a few days. Of course, assuming Benny Cunningham hits the open market as well, the Rams could be looking to use free agency to sign another running back to play behind Todd Gurley.

The good news for Los Angeles is they don’t need as much help at running back as they do with other positions since Gurley was named Rookie of the Year during the 2015 season, although there was a little concern over him failing to break the 100-yard mark even once last year. Still, Gurley doesn’t deserve all the blame when considering the struggles behind the offensive line along with the Rams finding themselves trailing in most games.

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Obviously, big name running backs like Adrian Peterson and LeGarrette Blount should be ruled out since neither of them would be willing to settle for a backup role to Gurley, but that doesn’t mean Los Angeles won’t have other solid options to choose from. Starting off with Lance Dunbar, here’s a look at five backup running backs for the Rams to consider in free agency.

5. Lance Dunbar

It’s tough not to wonder what could have been for Lance Dunbar and the Dallas Cowboys if it wasn’t for that devastating knee injury suffered early on in the 2015 season. Before that injury, there were time when Dunbar was considered an under the radar threat for the Cowboys thanks to his ability to be effective in the passing game as well, but those days are long gone.

Thanks to Ezekiel Elliott emerging as one of the league’s top running backs, the backfield for the Cowboys seems a little too crowded to keep Dunbar around, and the numbers alone from last year are the perfect example of why the two parties should just go their separate ways. The fact that Dunbar appeared in 13 games in 2016 for Dallas and only received nine carries for 31 yards with a touchdown shows how the team would be just fine without him.

The good news for Dunbar is when compared to some of the other running backs in free agency, he has an extra advantage for being on the younger side since he just recently turned 27. A team like the Los Angeles Rams may not be the most attractive destination for a running back that spent last year on a team that finished 13-3 during the regular season, but there’s a good chance Dunbar would see plenty of action teaming up with a player like Todd Gurley.

4. Rashad Jennings

Between his release from the New York Giants to finding out he was going to be on the next season of the hit show Dancing With the Stars, it’s been quite a busy offseason for Rashad Jennings, as the running back looks for a new team to play for in 2017. Jennings spent the last three seasons playing for the Giants, and as bad as it sounds, he’s received every opportunity in the world to prove he’s capable of handling the responsibilities of a top running back.

While the struggles behind the offensive line deserve part of the blame, it still doesn’t take away from the fact that he will be entering his eighth season next year, and has yet to break the 1,000-yard mark. Even last year, Jennings appeared in 13 games for New York (including 12 starts), and only finished with 593 rushing yards with three touchdowns, which makes it easy to see why the team felt it was best to move on from the running back along with Victor Cruz.

After taking a closer look at these disappointing numbers, Jennings seems to be a better fit as a No. 2 running back, which is why the Los Angeles Rams should be on the veteran’s radar. Jennings may have struggled to live up to the expectations in the backfield for the Giants, but at least he would provide Jared Goff with an extra option to dump the football off to if needed after catching 35 passes from Eli Manning last season.

3. Tim Hightower

At the moment, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the New Orleans Saints do everything in their power to bring Tim Hightower back for a third season with the team, but that doesn’t mean the running back won’t still test the open market. For a player that went four years without playing in the NFL prior to joining the Saints in 2015, it’s amazing to see Hightower play well enough to make an impact over the last two seasons, and hopefully he still has a few productive years left in him.

Only time will tell when it comes to whether the next year or so will be with New Orleans, but Hightower has to feel good knowing there will be numerous teams interested in the possibility of bringing him on board for the 2017 season. Even if he’s going to be turning 31 at the end of May, last year’s numbers are the perfect example of why the Los Angeles Rams would be smart just to consider the possibility of Hightower coming on board.

Not only did Hightower appear in all 16 games during the 2016 season, but there was a two-week span (Week 7 and 8) in which he carried the ground game by rushing for 189 yards with a touchdown on 49 carries. Depending on what the Saints end up doing, Hightower is certainly a name to keep an eye on once free agency gets underway on Thursday, as a possible backup candidate to Todd Gurley.

2. DeAngelo Williams

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers end up bringing back DeAngelo Williams for a third season with the team? It’s difficult to determine what will happen at this point when considering Williams has proven over the last two years he can still be an effective running back, but the deciding factor will most likely come down to what kind of offers the veteran receives from other teams.

From a competitive standpoint, Pittsburgh may be Williams’ best chance of winning his first Super Bowl after the team fell just shy of reaching Houston last January after falling to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. Even if the Steelers made the obvious decision to place the franchise tag on Le’Veon Bell, the last two seasons have shown how important Williams has been when their star running back was unable to play.

With 14 starts over the last two seasons to go along with 15 rushing touchdowns (11 which came in 2015), a player like Williams would not only give the Los Angeles Rams a reliable backup, but would be beneficial to a running back like Todd Gurley. The leadership and experience that Williams would bring to the table could work wonders for a running back like Gurley heading into his third season with the Rams, but whether the veteran would be willing to join a team that’s far from being contenders is a different story.

1. Jamaal Charles

It wasn’t easy for the Kansas City Chiefs to release Jamaal Charles after nine seasons, but at the end of the day, the organization knew it was a necessary move from a business perspective. Thanks to devastating injuries, Charles was limited to appearing in just eight games over the last two seasons, and when looking at the type of money the Chiefs would have to pay him in 2017, it simply wasn’t worth the money.

The verdict is still out there when it comes to the type of impact Charles can still have despite all of these injuries from the last two seasons, but the good news is there will most likely be a handful of teams willing to take the risk at a bargain price. Even if there’s the slightest chance of Charles returning to his Pro Bowl form a few years ago, it’s not even a debate that he would be worth the risk for the Los Angeles Rams.

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Experienced veterans like Charles that used to be one of the most dominant players in the league don’t often come around at a reduced price like the Rams would be able to sign him for. And who knows, maybe Charles would find a way to stay healthy enough to give Los Angeles the chance to have quite the dynamic duo in the backfield alongside Todd Gurley.