Las Vegas Raiders: 10 free agent running backs and their fit

Running back is one of the most controversial positions in the NFL today, as some say that investing high draft picks in the position is a waste and that giving a running back a massive contract is the first step on the path to irrelevance. The Las Vegas Raiders have yet to extend Josh Jacobs, but they did use a first-round pick to select him out of Alabama, and the early returns have been excellent so far.

When Josh Jacobs has it going, the rest of the offense usually does too, but as we have seen in the last two seasons, a competent backup is needed to spell the starter. In the case of Jacobs, he has also missed games in each of his first two seasons with shoulder and ankle injuries, so having talent behind him is key.

Last season, the Raiders had a solid backup in Devontae Booker, and he was good in limited duty both as a rotational player and as a spot starter when Jacobs was out. Booker is now a free agent, and we will consider his fit with the Raiders in 2021, but there are several other players out there who could fill the role as well.

This is not fantasy football, so you won’t see the likes of Aaron Jones or James Conner, who will only be looking for teams where they can start. This list will focus more on backs who know their roles as backups and can provide a little something different to what Josh Jacobs offers as a starter.

Let’s dive in!