This Date In Transactions History: Chiefs Release Jeremy Maclin
On this date in 2017, the Chiefs shocked the football world with their release of Jeremy Maclin. Despite a down 2016, Maclin still profiled as one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL and was slated to enter the year as the Chiefs No. 1 wideout. 
At the time of his release, Maclin was still only 29 and was not far removed from his 1,000-yard+ 2015 campaign. There was some logic in the move – cutting Maclin loose saved the Chiefs $10MM in cap space with just $2.4MM left in dead money, but the veteran surely would have preferred to be released in March, when there was more available money around the NFL.
Maclin never got the opportunity to justify his hefty five-year, $55MM deal in Kansas City, and he clearly wasn’t the same player when he moved on to the Ravens in 2017. Maclin finished out with just 40 catches for 440 yards for an average of eleven yards per grab – all career lows.
With Maclin out of the picture, the Chiefs were able to put a larger focus on rising sophomore Tyreek Hill. Hill was something of a gadget player as a rookie, but he truly broke out in 2017 with a 75/1,183/7 line.
Today, Hill’s football future is in limbo, but, from a football perspective, the decision to move on from Maclin proved to be a wise one. The Chiefs have boasted one of the league’s most potent aerial attacks for the last two seasons thanks in large part to Hill and a younger group of targets. Meanwhile, Maclin spent 2018 out of football before announcing his retirement earlier this year.
This Date In Transactions History: Panthers Extend Cam Newton
During what became the best year in Panthers franchise history, the team took care of its centerpiece player. On June 2, 2015, the Panthers and Cam Newton reached an agreement on a five-year extension.
This deal preceded Newton’s monster 2015 season, a year that saw him pilot the Panthers to a 15-1 record and Super Bowl 50. The extension turned out to be incredibly team-friendly — especially as the quarterback market exploded in the years that followed. Newton signed a five-year, $103.8MM contract that came with $41MM fully guaranteed.
At that point, Aaron Rodgers‘ five-year, $110MM pact — agreed to in 2013 — remained the standard. And the market did not move much for the next two years. Both Andrew Luck and Derek Carr took it higher, with the latter’s extension spiking it to the $25MM-per-year mark. Now, having Newton on a $20.8MM-AAV deal is a staggering bargain for the Panthers — regardless of the 30-year-old quarterback’s situation — and represents a mark in the win column of embattled GM Dave Gettleman. The since-fired Carolina GM did not draft Newton but oversaw the extension process.
Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins, Matt Ryan, Rodgers and Russell Wilson led to the passer market ballooning to its current place, with Wilson’s $35MM-AAV accord pacing the NFL. In between Carr’s deal in June 2017 and Wilson’s April 2019 re-up, the landscape has changed significantly. Newton is now the NFL’s 16th-highest-paid passer. His full-guarantee number ranks 11th. Both Ryan and Cousins more than doubled it in their most recent deals.
Newton has not come close to replicating his 2015 MVP performance, which featured 35 touchdown passes (11 more than any other season), 636 rushing yards and 10 TDs, and a 66.0 QBR. The former No. 1 overall pick regressed in 2016 and ’17, failing to top 22 touchdown passes or the No. 21 spot in QBR in either slate. The Auburn phenom was faring well in Norv Turner‘s offense last season, but another shoulder injury halted his progress and has forced a second lengthy rehab process in three years.
Two years remain, with cap numbers of $23.2MM and $21.1MM, on Newton’s contract. He is not in a strong bargaining position right now, reinjuring his shoulder and having just resumed throwing regulation-sized footballs. But if Newton returns to the form he showed to start last season, extension talks figure to transpire in 2020. The Panthers used a third-round pick on Will Grier but remain committed to Newton as their starter.
That said, this will be a key season for the three-time Pro Bowler — particularly from a health standpoint. If 2019 does not go well, the Panthers could get out of Newton’s deal with merely a $2MM dead-money charge. Although, if the team wanted to change course after nine years of Newton, this contract (and the passer’s talent) would not make for difficult trade talks. But we’re obviously a ways away from that potential reality. The most successful quarterback in Panthers history will have a chance to rebuild his value soon.
PFR Originals: 5/26/19 – 6/2/19
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- With five franchises set to deploy new starting quarterbacks this year, and among those multiple teams having not yet decided on a starter, I asked which of the new signal-caller investments will work out most in 2019. Thus far, readers view the Jaguars’ Nick Foles selection as the one that will pay off most immediately. Interestingly, Las Vegas’ offensive rookie of the year favorite, Kyler Murray, sits fourth.
- As post-June 1 cut money became available, Ben Levine provided a refresher on how this type of transaction works. Of the teams that made this type of release, the Chiefs — with $9.55MM due to their Eric Berry cut — saw the biggest 2019 cap-space spike.
- The Bills may have an entirely new offensive line this year, with a host of outside investments now on the team and 2018 starters possibly at different positions. Dallas Robinson took an expansive look at how Buffalo managed to revamp its front. This new line, and the additions the franchise made to its receiving corps, figures to enhance Josh Allen‘s 2019 capabilities.
- More than 200 rookies have signed their deals. Many of the stragglers are, unsurprisingly, third-round picks. Zach Links took a look at where the 2019 crop of unsigned rookies stands.
- Going along with the Foles intrigue, there certainly appears to be a belief among the PFR community the Jaguars can return to their pre-2018 trajectory. Dallas asked readers which 2018 last-place team is most likely to book a playoff berth this season. The Jags are the runaway leaders, with the Raiders’ new acquisitions likely influencing their portion of the vote.
- Follow along where the Jets are in their general manager search process with PFR’s 2019 general manager search tracker. A key candidate wrapped up his two-day interview Sunday.
- Only one running back went off this year’s board in the first round, but Zach’s poll asking which of this year’s rookie runners will finish with the most yards did not produce Josh Jacobs by a wide margin — as last year’s did for Saquon Barkley. Instead, Bears third-rounder David Montgomery has plenty of believers.
- Before his lengthy career with the Steelers, Ryan Clark began his NFL run with the Giants. Ben continued PFR’s “This Week in Transactions History” series looking at the day Big Blue cut ties with the future Super Bowl-winning safety. He spent two years in Washington before finding his way to Pittsburgh.
Poll: Which Team’s New QB Will Have Best Season?
While this offseason did not bring quite the same level of quarterback movement 2018’s did, a handful of teams will deploy new starters. Draft choices, trade acquisitions and free agent signings will be given the keys to offenses that struggled last season.
The Broncos, Cardinals, Dolphins, Jaguars and Redskins made moves to fortify their quarterback jobs. Which team’s investment will work out best?
Denver will use a different starting quarterback for the third straight year. Joe Flacco is set to be the Broncos’ fourth starter since Peyton Manning‘s retirement. While his QBR figure (58.7) was better than any the former Ravens starter had posted since a quality 2014 season, Flacco still ranked 20th in that metric last season. Having never made a Pro Bowl and fresh off back-to-back years featuring injury trouble, with a back problem limiting him during the 2017 offseason and a hip injury beginning the Lamar Jackson era, the 34-year-old starter will try to revive his career in Denver. Flacco, though, is the most accomplished quarterback the Broncos have employed since Manning.
The other surefire veteran starter acquired this year, Foles will have his first chance to be a team’s unquestioned first-stringer since 2015. The 30-year-old flourished in his second Philadelphia stint, submitting an all-time postseason run in 2017 and helping the Eagles back to the playoffs last season. A 2013 Pro Bowler, Foles will take over a Jaguars team that does not possess the kind of aerial weaponry recent Eagles rosters did. Jacksonville is in line to have Marqise Lee back from a torn ACL, but the team’s wideouts and tight ends will place additional emphasis on Foles living up to his contract. With the Rams in 2015, Foles threw seven touchdown passes and 10 interceptions before being benched.
Kyler Murray represents the other locked-in starter added this offseason. The electric one-year Oklahoma starter accomplished about as much as a college passer can in a single season, turning in Division I-FBS’ second-ever 4,000-1,000 season en route to Heisman Trophy honors. Working with Kliff Kingsbury, Larry Fitzgerald and a host of young wide receivers, Murray is the centerpiece of one of the most daring experiments an NFL team has attempted.
The Cardinals turned the keys over to a sub-.500 college coach and a 5-foot-10 signal-caller — the first sub-6-foot passer to be chosen in Round 1. Arizona trotted out the league’s worst scoring and total offense last season, however, and sported a skeleton-crew offensive line by year’s end. The Cards added new starters Marcus Gilbert and J.R. Sweezy up front. Due to the lack of precedent behind this move, it is hard to tell how Murray will fare. But the unique talent has opened as Las Vegas’ offensive rookie of the year favorite.
Washington and Miami have not committed to a starting quarterback yet, but it is fairly safe to project Dwayne Haskins and Josh Rosen will see extensive time. While Case Keenum and Ryan Fitzpatrick could log starts, with the latter possibly even on track to do so, the Redskins have liked what their first-round pick has done so far and the Dolphins will need to see Rosen in games to help determine if they will consider a first-round QB in 2020. On the heels of a 50-touchdown pass season, the Ohio State product sits second in offensive rookie of the year odds. Although only eight passers have won this award since 1957, seven such instances have occurred since 2004.
Both Daniel Jones and Drew Lock could factor into their respective teams’ mixes later in the season. Of the 13 first-round QBs taken over the past four years, only Patrick Mahomes and Paxton Lynch were not promoted to the starting role as rookies. (Though, Eli Manning is not your typical stopgap.) Lock was projected by most as a first-rounder, and Flacco ceded his role to the No. 32 overall pick last year. So the 12th-year veteran’s grip on Denver’s job should be considered tenuous.
Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
Four NFL Teams Set To Receive Cap Space
Four teams are set to receive some cap space tomorrow due to post-June 1st cuts, as ESPN’s Field Yates points out on Twitter. Those clubs include:
- Bears: $1MM (Cody Parkey, story)
- Chiefs: $9.55MM (Eric Berry, story)
- Falcons: $6.45MM (Ryan Schraeder, story)
- Panthers: $7MM (Matt Kalil, story)
Way back in the day, our own Luke Adams explained all of the nuances of the June 1st designation. In simplest terms, a team’s salary cap can account for a released-player’s bonuses based on two separate time periods.
If a player is designated for release prior to June 1st, the remaining bonus money is immediately added to the upcoming year’s cap. Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com uses the 2013 release of Steve Breaston (Chiefs) as an example. The wide receiver only completed two years of his five-year contract, meaning he was only paid $2MM of his $5MM bonus. Therefore, since he was designated for release prior to June 1st, the remaining $3MM in bonus money was added to the Chiefs’ 2013 salary cap.
However, if the player is designated for release after June 1st, then the player’s current-year bonus remains the same for that respective year (in regards to the salary cap) . The rest of that bonus money would then be added to the following year’s cap. So, using Breaston as an example, if the Chiefs had designated him for release after June 1st, then the team would have seen his $1MM bonus money added to their salary cap in 2013. Then, in 2014, the remaining $2MM would be accounted for.
So why were teams announcing these releases prior to today? Well, the NFL allows each team to designate two players as a post-June 1st cut. This provides the player with more time to find their next gig. This was seemingly a concession by the teams, as they benefit via the salary-cap relief.
For the Bears, Chiefs, Falcons, and Panthers, this added cap space will be especially useful as they look to sign their draft picks or extend their current players. These teams could also be looking to clear some space for a free agent acquisition, as the Panthers are presumably doing for Gerald McCoy.
How The Bills Revamped Their Offensive Line In A Single Offseason
There’s little question offensive line continuity is an important facet of any winning NFL team’s success. As Thomas Emerick of the Sporting News and Rotoviz recently examined, many of the league’s best front fives – including the Eagles, Steelers, Colts, Ravens, and Bears — are set to return all five starters in 2019. Given that the offensive line is an extremely cerebral position group where all five members are consistently working as one, it makes sense that the most productive lines are those were familiarity is a constant.
But what about when things go wrong? The 2018 Bills ranked 30th in adjusted line yards, Football Outsiders’ attempt to filter out what part of a team’s rushing performance can be attributed specifically to its linemen. While Buffalo finished in the middle of the pack with 41 sacks allowed, they ranked just 23rd in adjusted sack rate, which accounts for down, distance, and opponent. The Bills ended the season as a bottom-five club in pressure rate allowed, and Pro Football Focus listed Buffalo as a bottom-seven offensive line in overall grading.
The Bills’ struggles can’t be blamed on offensive line changes. As Vincent Verhei of FO wrote in April, Buffalo actually ranked 10th in offensive line continuity score, which factors in the number of starters a team used, the number of weekly changes to its front five, and the longest starting streak of any single five-man unit. The Bills can’t point to injuries, either, as they finished with only 5.5 adjusted games lost along their offensive line, sixth-best in the NFL.
So what exactly was the problem for the Bills’ line last season? Frankly, it was a question of talent. Buffalo didn’t have a single offensive lineman grade among PFF’s top-60 OLs, while only one — left tackle Dion Dawkins — ranked top-90 positionally. Non-starting-caliber players such as Russell Bodine, Jordan Mills, Vlad Ducasse, and Ryan Groy each played more than 500 snaps a season ago.
In order to rectify their offensive line issues, the Bills deployed an interesting offseason plan: throw everything against the wall and see what sticks. Buffalo struck quickly in February, signing interior veteran Spencer Long just a week after he’d been released by the division-rival Jets. Long is no world-beater, but he’s got 44 games worth of starting experience under his belt, can play center and both guard positions, and will cost less than $4MM against the Bills’ 2019 salary cap before a series of options kick in 2020-21.
The Bills waited until the free agent market officially opened in March before making their big-ticket purchase, inking former Chiefs center Mitch Morse to a four-year, $44.5MM deal that made him the NFL’s highest-paid pivot. The 27-year-old Morse would prove to be Buffalo’s only high-priced addition to its front five, as the club wisely avoided an exploding offensive tackle market that saw Trent Brown reel in $16.5MM annually and Ja’Wuan James collect $12.75MM per year.
Instead, the Bills targeted mid-level veteran contracts to improve their offensive line, a strategy often employed by the Patriots (albeit typically at other positions). Buffalo stole tackle Ty Nsekhe from the rest of the league, signing the 33-year-old away from the Redskins on a two-year deal worth only $10MM. Nsekhe, who didn’t garner regular NFL playing time until he was 30 years old, sat behind two high-quality tackles in Washington but produced whenever he was called upon.
Buffalo didn’t stop there, and continued to add role players throughout the rest of March and April. Former Raiders backup Jon Feliciano came to town on a two-year, $7.25MM pact, tackle LaAdrian Waddle received a one-year, $2MM deal, and 48-game Titans starter Quinton Spain got one year and $2.05MM.
The Bills’ final offensive line improvement came in Round 2 of the draft, when general manager Brandon Beane moved up from No. 40 overall to No. 38 by trading the Raiders a fifth-round pick. That swap enabled Buffalo to select Oklahoma guard/tackle Cody Ford, a prospect whom many analysts had pegged as a first-rounder. In the Bills’ excellent behind-the-scenes draft video, Beane and his staff are seen attempting to trade back into Day 1 for Ford, expressing disappointment when they believed he was headed to the Panthers at No. 37, and registering elation realizing they’ll acquire the ex-Sooner.
Now that Buffalo has added seven offensive linemen capable of starting, the team has some decisions to make. Who exactly will play where? Morse, at center, is seemingly the only player locked into a certain position. At the Bills’ most recent practice sessions, the line has been Dawkins-Long-Feliciano-Wyatt Teller-Ford from left-to-right, but with both Morse and Spain battling injuries, that’s probably not a fair representation of what the front five will look like when the regular season begins. A more realistic guess at the 2019 starting unit might be, from left-to-right, Dawkins-Spain-Morse-Ford-Nsekhe.
An improved offensive line should do wonders for second-year quarterback Josh Allen, who struggled after being selected seventh overall in the 2018 draft. Allen finished 29th in adjusted net yards per pass attempt during his rookie campaign, and his 4.37 mark was the sixth-worst figure by a rookie signal-caller since 2011 (minimum 300 attempts).
While Next Gen Stats charted Allen with the most time to throw in the NFL (3.22 seconds), that was likely a result of the Wyoming product’s scrambling ability — Allen’s legs allowed him to escape the pocket and continue the play until he could attempt a pass. Allen also led the league in both average intended air yards and air yards differential, meaning that while he was attempting a high number of deep throws, Allen wasn’t very effective with such passes. A more established pocket could allow the 23-year-old to go deep with greater efficiency.
And go deep he will. Allen showed late-season rapport with undrafted rookie wideout Robert Foster, who posted 19 receptions, 285 yards, and two touchdowns over the final four games of the season. Per PFF, Foster posted the highest average depth of target of any receiver who played at least 25% of his club’s offensive snaps. Free agent addition John Brown, signed to a three-year, $27MM contract, ranked sixth in aDOT.
Eric Eager and George Chahrouri of Pro Football Focus have researched the tremendous value of simply improving from replacement level to average along the offensive line. In fact, based on their wins above replacement metric, a team will realize a greater benefit from a front five going from below replacement level to average than it would from one that improved from average to elite.
That’s essentially the strategy the Bills have employed this offseason. No new member of their offensive line, not even Morse, qualifies as an elite level player. But Buffalo has significantly raised the overall floor of their offensive line, and could reap the benefits in 2019.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
200 NFL Draft Picks Have Signed
When Bengals fourth-round quarterback Ryan Finley inked his rookie deal on Thursday, he became the 200th member of the 2019 NFL Draft class to do so. With that, we have only 54 unsigned picks, meaning that nearly 79% of this year’s picks are officially under contract.
[RELATED: 2019 NFL Draft Results By Team]
Unsurprisingly, most of the remaining stragglers are third-round picks. Third round negotiations tend to drag since there is wiggle room when it comes to base salaries. In fact, only ten of this year’s 31 third-rounders have signed as of this writing: Cardinals defensive end Zach Allen, Bills running back Devin Singletary, Panthers quarterback Will Grier, Browns linebacker Sione Takitaki, Jaguars tight end Josh Oliver, Vikings running back Alexander Mattison, Patriots tackle Yodny Cajuste, Jets linebacker Jachai Polite, Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson, and 49ers wide receiver Jalen Hurd.
We also have 12 unsigned players in the first-round, which also doesn’t come as a shock. First round picks tend to have the most leverage, which means that agents will often haggle on issues such as offset language. Half of those unsigned first-rounders come from the Raiders and Giants, who have three first-round picks each. It’s possible that the agents for each player are playing a bit of a waiting game to see how the team’s other first-round picks fare when it comes to offsets.
Poll: Which 2018 Last Place Team Is Likeliest To Make Playoffs In 2019?
Turnarounds in the NFL often don’t take long. Unlike Major League Baseball, where prospects usually face a minimum promotion time of two years, new NFL players can make an impact during their respective rookie seasons. With more teams embracing the use of free agency and trades as avenues of player acquisition, it’s possible to improve a club year-over-year.
Worst-to-playoffs revamps happen nearly every season, and 2018 was no exception. A year after finishing last in the NFC North, the Bears and new head coach Matt Nagy rebounded to take the division crown. Meanwhile, the Texans and Colts both posted 4-12 records in 2017 before earning a postseason appearance this past season.
So, which last place team from 2018 will make a leap into the playoffs during the upcoming season? Let’s take a look at the candidates:
New York Jets
The Jets are searching for a new general manager after firing Mike Maccagnan, but they should be poised for an improvement on the field as 2018 third overall pick Sam Darnold heads into his sophomore campaign. Gang Green gave Darnold a few more weapons by signing running back Le’Veon Bell and wide receiver Jamison Crowder, but failed to augment an offensive line that ranked dead last in run-blocking and 18th in pass-blocking, per Football Outsiders. While New York could see a jump in their win total, will it be enough to overtake the Patriots?
Cincinnati Bengals
Although the Bengals didn’t make any splash additions during the offseason, they did attempt to address their porous offensive line by drafting Alabama tackle Jonah Williams (which will push incumbent blindside protector Cordy Glenn to guard), and signing ex-Bills guard John Miller. Improving their front five from “horrible” to simply “average” would be a win for the Bengals, especially as quarterback Andy Dalton enters a make-or-break year under new head coach Zac Taylor.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Among the clubs that finished in last place in 2018, the Jaguars have experienced the most recent success: as recently as 2017, Jacksonville finished 10-6 and was a few plays away from making a Super Bowl appearance. The Jaguars retained head coach Doug Marrone after last year’s 5-11 record, but quarterback Blake Bortles was cut, clearing the way for free agent signee Nick Foles. Rookie first-round edge rusher Josh Allen will join a defense that’s bringing back most of its key parts aside from linebacker Telvin Smith, who won’t play in 2019.
Oakland Raiders
The Raiders raised eyebrows by adding controversial locker room presences such as Vontaze Burfict and Richie Incognito this offseason, but they’ve also brought in talent at positions of import, such as wideouts Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams, offensive tackle Trent Brown, and edge rusher Clelin Ferrell. The wisdom of drafting a running back (Josh Jacobs) and box safety (Johnathan Abram) in the first round notwithstanding, Oakland has undoubtedly augmented its roster. Whether the Raiders’ moves will be enough to overtake two of the AFC’s best teams in the Chiefs and Chargers is another question.
New York Giants
The Giants’ offseason has been…interesting. After trading away star pass-catcher Odell Beckham Jr. for pennies on the dollar, general manager Dave Gettleman made a number of questionable decisions in free agency and the draft. Big Blue handed Golden Tate a four-yar $37.5MM deal to replace OBJ, but Tate is best in the slot, a position already spoken for by Sterling Shepard. Gettleman then used the sixth overall selection on quarterback Daniel Jones, a prospect most analysts had pegged as a Day 2 selection, and the No. 17 pick on Clemson’s Dexter Lawrence, a run-stuffing defensive tackle who likely won’t be a full-time player.
Detroit Lions
One of only three last place teams to keep their head coach in place, the Lions actually finished with the highest Pythagorean win total (the number of games a club should win based solely on points scored/allowed) of any team on this list, per FO. Detroit went on a minor spending spree over the past few months, adding three former ex-Patriots: defensive end Trey Flowers, cornerback Justin Coleman, and wide receiver Danny Amendola. Even with regression expected for the Bears, it’s difficult to see the Lions overtaking Chicago, Green Bay, and Minnesota for the division crown.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers ranked as a top-12 offensive team in both expected points and DVOA despite trailing off at the end of season, and now they’re turning over their loaded passing unit to Bruce Arians. Scoring points shouldn’t a problem, so the onus will be on new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to improve a unit that fell apart in 2018. New additions like Devin White, Shaquil Barrett, and Deone Bucannon will buttress a defensive backfield largely populated by first- and second-year players.
Arizona Cardinals
While they’re not necessarily expected to compete for the postseason in 2019, the Cardinals will certainly be a fascinating club to watch during the upcoming year. New head coach Kliff Kingsbury will bring some version of his Air Raid offense to the NFL, and Heisman winner/No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray will be under leading the attack. Arizona’s draft garnered a wealth of “A” grades across the industry, so the future could be bright for the Cardinals, but they probably don’t have the talent to compete with the rest of the NFC West just yet.
So what do you think? Which of these last place teams is likeliest to earn a postseason berth — either as a division winner or a wild card club — in 2019? Link for app users.
2019 General Manager Search Tracker
The Jets and Texans commenced mid-offseason GM firings, with Mike Maccagnan and Brian Gaine respectively displaced from their posts. We’ll keep track of all developments related to these vacancies in this post.
Listed below are the GM candidates that have been linked to the Jets and Texans, along with their current status. If and when other teams decide to make general manager changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here’s the current breakdown:
Updated 6-16-19 (10:22 pm CT)
Houston Texans
- Nick Caserio, Patriots director of player personnel: No longer pursuing
- Ray Farmer, former Browns general manager: Interviewed
- Martin Mayhew, former Lions general manager: Interviewed
New York Jets
- Joe Douglas, VP of player personnel (Eagles) Hired
- Scott Fitterer, co-director of player personnel (Seahawks): To be interviewed on 5-30
- Terry Fontenot, director of pro scouting (Saints): To be interviewed on 6/1
- Champ Kelly, assistant director of player personnel (Bears): To be interviewed on 6/3
- George Paton, assistant GM (Vikings): Turned down interview 5/30
Poll: Which Rookie RB Will Rush For Most Yards In 2019?
Last year, the Giants pounced on the opportunity to take Saquon Barkley at No. 2 overall. The decision to use a high draft pick on a running back was panned by some, but, so far, things have panned out just fine. The Penn State product rushed for 1,307 yards, led the NFL with 2,028 total scrimmage yards, and averaged 5.0 yards per carry, despite the Giants’ overall offensive struggles. 
Barkley wasn’t the only gem in last year’s class – Sony Michel (Patriots, No. 31 overall), Nick Chubb (Browns, No. 35 overall), and Kerryon Johnson (Lions, No. 43 overall) all showed serious promise for the future.
This year’s crop of running backs is not believed to be on the same level, nor was there a consensus top RB like Barkley, which complicates projections for rookie production. A look at some of this year’s strongest contenders to lead the pack in rushing yards:
- Joshua Jacobs, Raiders: At No. 24 overall, Jacobs was the first running back taken in the 2019 draft. Even then, many in the football world felt that Mike Mayock & Co. reached for the Alabama product. Of course, after taking Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell No. 4 overall, the Raiders showed that they aren’t afraid of bucking convention. Jacobs rushed for just 640 yards in his final year on campus, which doesn’t necessarily point to major production as an NFL rookie. But, with Marshawn Lynch no longer in the fold, there’s a clear opportunity for Jacobs to shine, provided that he can get a larger share of work than Doug Martin.
- Miles Sanders, Eagles: Another running back was not selected until 29 picks later when the Eagles took Sanders towards the back end of the second round. Lauded for his size and power, Sanders has the potential to break tackles early and gut out the tough yards. On the other hand, he’ll have to push past newcomer Jordan Howard and last year’s leading rusher Josh Adams in order to carve out opportunities.
- Darrell Henderson, Rams: Could Todd Gurley‘s backup lead rookie RBs in rushing? Well, that depends on Gurley’s health, and there are plenty of question marks in that regard after the star’s disappointing finish to the 2018 season. Henderson had more touchdowns (22), yards (1,909), and yards per carry (8.9) than anyone else in this year’s draft class, so he could be one snap away from a monster freshman year.
- David Montgomery, Bears: With Tarik Cohen slotted for serious work in the passing game, the stage could be set for Montgomery to serve as the Bears’ top rusher. Montgomery topped 250 rushing attempts in each of his final seasons at Iowa State and averaged 4.7 yards per carry in his final collegiate campaign.
- Devin Singletary, Bills: LeSean McCoy is the man in Buffalo – for now. The Bills say they’re moving forward with McCoy, but if he’s released or traded, Singletary could easily edge Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon for the starting gig. Singletary bombed at the combine, but his track record for powering into the end zone should make him a favorite of offensive coordinator Brian Daboll early on.
Will one of those five RBs take the crown, or will it be another rookie rusher? Vote in the poll below (link for app users) and back up your choice in the comment section.