The upcoming free agency period for 2020 has quite a few interesting names at the running back position. It also has quite a few interesting question marks to go along with the RBs. Hard to say exactly what will happen, but I’ll attempt to do my best to give you the early 411.

Derrick Henry

He is probably the biggest name in all of free agency this year. No one player down the stretch of the season (especially the first two rounds of the playoffs) solidified a big contract better than Derrick Henry. He rumbled for 377 yards and averaged almost 6 YPC versus the Ravens and Texans. Henry will command a max deal somewhere north of $13 million per season. With the Titans having $57 million in cap space, there should be no reason Tennessee can’t match another team’s offer. The choice will be Henry’s and he may choose to go to another team, but with the Titans making it to the AFC Championship game, the list of better contenders is short. I fully expect him to be in a Titans uniform again next year.

Kareem Hunt

There is no doubt Hunt is an elite running back. However, his past off-field issues kept him suspended for 8 games and when he did return, his touches were limited with Nick Chubb in front of him. Thankfully, there were still enough chances to show that elite ability and because of that, some NFL team desperate at RB will pay him a near-max deal with some assumed behavioral incentives/restrictions. The Browns could afford to pay him the deal he wants, but they aren’t able to give him the playing time he wants to be a feature back. Hunt will be playing for a different team in 2020, and I would suspect it will be any playoff team not named Kansas City.

Melvin Gordan & Austin Ekeler

Let’s all hope that Gordon isn’t a poker player because his bluff game is super-weak. Although, it sure did work out for Ekeler. The latter exploded right out of the gate, scoring 6 TDs in the first four games. However, it all came crashing down once Gordan returned to the team. He was immediately named the starter by head coach Anthony Lynn and it is obvious Lynn prefers the workhorse traits of Gordon over Ekeler’s skill set. Going into the 2020 off-season, the Chargers are in a tough spot. They have more than likely already lost Phillip Rivers (also a free agent) when he decided to move his wife and 47 children to Florida. This could signify a rebuilding period in LA. The Chargers may elect to flip a coin on which one they keep. Or they could elect to move on from both of these guys for the 2020 season. Honestly, your guess is as good as mine here.

Kenyan Drake

You know when you are working on a puzzle and you find the satisfaction of that one piece that fits in its spot perfectly? Drake is that puzzle piece in Arizona. It was obvious early on that David Johnson was not the style of RB that fit Kingsbury’s Air Raid system. If Arizona moves on from DJ this off-season, which is expected, the Cardinals should resign Drake. Drake proved that perfect fit best in Weeks 15-17 when he rushed for 363 yards and a whopping 7 TDs. Johnson’s $14 million contract hurts the Cardinals’ chances of moving him, but even if they don’t, I still suspect they will lock in Drake on a multi-year deal.

Matt Breida

San Francisco had 285 yards rushing in the NFC Championship game versus Green Bay. Breida had 2 of those yards. That’s right, 2! A doghouse situation was in full effect no matter what Kyle Shanahan says. Breida did however average 5.1 YPC during the season on 123 attempts. This is a good enough sample size for most NFL teams looking to bring in some depth at the RB position. He also has the upside of starter potential, always an interesting characteristic. Plus, let’s not forget that Breida was a popular fantasy sleeper pick prior to the start of the 2019 season. With the sudden star potential displayed by Mostert, and the fact that the 49ers are still giving McKinnon and Coleman hefty paychecks, there’s just no room for anyone else. Look for Breida to be brought in as a complement to a current starter in places like Detroit or Philadelphia, or joining a new rookie in Miami, Houston, or Tampa.

Frank Gore – Because, why not?

Stop me if you’ve heard this one, but Frank Gore should probably retire. Honestly though, the longer he plays, the more of a fan of his I become. He is the antithesis of Todd Gurley. Where Gurley is 25 but plays like he’s 37, Gore is 37 but plays like he’s 25. Okay, maybe not always, but he’s 37!! If he plays another 3 years, he will tie Jim Thorpe’s record for the oldest RB to play professional football. If Buffalo does not resign him, I’m starting a petition on his behalf for some NFL team to sign him. Go for it, Frank!

Other Notables

Carlos Hyde turned 30 in 2019 and while he had a surprisingly good season, Houston is looking to address this position in the draft. Though, a one-year renewal would be a good idea. Diddo for LeSean McCoy in Kansas City. Jordan Howard was a touchdown hog for Philly this past year, pissing off every Miles Sanders owner, including me. However, the emergence of Sanders and Boston Scott at the end of the season all but signified the end of Howard’s tenure in the City of Brotherly Love. Other RBs like Lamar Miller and Peyton Barber could just disappear from the NFL landscape entirely.