Will Rams pick up a veteran running back?

The largest contract signed by a running back this offseason has been the two-year, $11 million deal signed by Kenyan Drake with the Las Vegas Raiders. Chris Carson’s two-year, $10.425 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks was the only other multi-year running back contract this offseason to top $3 million per season.

Which high school prospects would dare continue to play running back with a future like that? It’s a position that may have already seen many of its best prospects move to receiver, cornerback, safety, linebacker, or anything else that gets paid more and injured less.

That’s also why the LA Rams could still add a veteran running back on the cheap before Week 1.

The Rams lost Malcolm Brown in free agency to a one-year, $1.75 million deal with the Miami Dolphins. Los Angeles hasn’t made a corresponding move and one might not even be coming; Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson, Xavier Jones, and Raymond Calais could be adequate. However, Akers and Henderson both dealt with injuries in 2020 and that story is wont to repeat itself with running backs so it’s not time to consider LA finished with making moves at the position.

Here are some of the names still on the market:

• Giovani Bernard
• Todd Gurley
• Duke Johnson
• Rex Burkhead
• James Conner
• TJ Yeldon
• Dion Lewis
• Adrian Peterson
• Frank Gore
• Jerick McKinnon
• Le’Veon Bell
• Alfred Morris
• Kenjon Barner
• Wayne Gallman
• D’Onta Foreman
• Chris Thompson
• LeSean McCoy

Bernard was a recent addition to the market and more names could join him in the coming months.