• Saquon Barkley shattered all expectations: The star working again one way or the other proved even higher than anticipated, topping 2,000 speeding yards behind the NFL’s greatest offensive line.
• Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs slotted in seamlessly with new groups: Every put collectively a profitable season in a brand new uniform, propelling the working again place to new heights.
• 2025 NFL Draft season is right here: Strive PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and study 2025’s prime prospects whereas buying and selling and drafting in your favourite NFL workforce.
Estimated Studying Time: 8 minutes
Final yr’s free-agent working again market featured huge names like Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and lots of extra on the lookout for new locations to name residence. However the huge affect it could have on this yr’s postseason has been a pleasing shock to many, particularly for followers who noticed their workforce signal the pivotal piece to their profitable seasons.
We’re looking again at that free agent class of working backs from the 2024 offseason and highlighting the affect every had on their new groups.
*Gamers ordered by common annual worth of contract signed within the 2024 offseason
Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles: 85.5 PFF General Grade
The Giants permitting Barkley to hit the open market despatched a ripple by way of free company, slotting the dynamic again towards the highest of obtainable offensive expertise. Quick ahead to January: Barkley is having fun with a historic season, turning into the ninth participant in NFL historical past to hurry for two,000 yards and main the Eagles on a deep playoff run. A painful sight for the Giants’ trustworthy.
Barkley’s working behind an achieved Eagles offensive line netted him the best PFF speeding grade of his profession (85.3). His 46 rushes of 15 or extra yards led the NFL within the common season, due partially to his 912 yards earlier than contact — the second most ever recorded within the PFF period (since 2006) — showcasing his wonderful imaginative and prescient to search out working lanes and burst to succeed in the second stage.
Within the divisional spherical, Barkley left his mark together with his means to shed would-be tacklers and work in area, producing 170 speeding yards after first contact — probably the most recorded in a playoff recreation in PFF historical past.
SAQUON BARKLEY 78 YARDS GOOOOODBYE!
📺: #LARvsPHI on NBC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/88LvtJoEFa— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2025
Josh Jacobs, Inexperienced Bay Packers: 92.4
When the mud settled from the 2024 free company interval it was Jacobs who secured the most important whole contract worth at $48 million. The hope was that the funding would web an enchancment over the strong manufacturing the Packers received from veteran Aaron Jones. Whereas Inexperienced Bay’s resolution was questioned by some on the time, the end result far exceeded expectations: Jacobs earned the best single-season grade of his profession this season.
Jacobs’ 91.6 total mark within the common season ties him for eighth within the PFF period, turning into simply the second again to ever report a 90.0-plus PFF speeding grade and an 85.0-plus PFF receiving grade (minimal 100 snaps in a season).
That’s a credit score to his unimaginable contract stability, which allowed Jacobs to rack up 88 compelled missed tackles within the common season, tied with Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson for the league lead. That means was on full show through the wild-card spherical, the place Jacobs amassed 14, tying former Seahawk Marshawn Lynch’s PFF playoff report, set within the 2014 NFC Championship recreation.
Joe Mixon, Houston Texans: 77.0
Though Mixon didn’t make it to the open market, being dealt by the Bengals for only a seventh-round decide in March and subsequently signed to an extension by the Texans, he’s undoubtedly well worth the inspection after his first season in Houston.
In his new residence, Mixon charted within the prime 15 through the common season in carries (245), yards after contact (716) and explosive runs of 10 or extra yards (28), on his strategy to a 75.9 PFF speeding grade. This season marked Mixon’s sixth during which he produced a PFF speeding grade above 73.0. That stage of consistency is troublesome to search out in backs, significantly ones acclimating to a brand new scheme.
Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens: 94.4
Someway, a way, the remainder of the NFL let the Ravens purchase one the NFL’s most prolific runners for pennies on the greenback this previous offseason.
Henry completed 2024 because the league’s highest-graded again, and his 94.2 total mark ranks as the very best determine recorded amongst qualifying working backs within the PFF period, breaking the previous report of 92.5 set in 2020 by … Henry. At age 30, Henry generated a 93.1 PFF speeding grade, which stands head and shoulders above the subsequent greatest again of 30 years of age or older, Raheem Mostert’s 91.3 in 2023.
The postseason was no exception for Henry, because the veteran again continued his dominance. Within the wild-card spherical, the Ravens again racked up 186 yards on the bottom, his third playoff recreation with a minimum of 180 and his third entry into the highest six in most speeding yardage produced in a playoff recreation within the PFF period.
D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears: 61.3
- Former Staff: Philadelphia Eagles
- Contract Worth: Three years, $24 million
After a cease in Philadelphia in 2023 that netted Swift the most efficient season of his profession, notching his first 1,000-yard speeding season, he made his strategy to Chicago in hopes of main the Bears’ backfield. At age 25 this previous season, Swift amassed a career-high 253 carries however didn’t eclipse the 1,000-yard threshold on the bottom, making him the one again with 240 or extra makes an attempt to not attain the mark.
Swift’s effectivity notably declined in his first marketing campaign in Chicago. He totaled simply 3.8 yards per carry — the bottom common of his profession. A lot of that may be attributed to his poor metrics earlier than contact, as he totaled simply 1.3 yards earlier than contact per try.
Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans: 69.2
- Former Staff: Dallas Cowboys
- Contract Worth: Three years, $21 million
Pollard loved a strong 5 seasons of increasing his workload in Dallas — and the manufacturing that comes with that — earlier than making his strategy to the open market trying to money in. He discovered a house in Tennessee, the place he notched profession highs in carries (260) and speeding yardage (1,079).
Nevertheless, Pollard’s superior metrics took a step again regardless of his elevated touches. His 71.9 PFF speeding grade marks the bottom of his profession, due partially to his lower in forcing missed tackles, having generated simply 0.15 per try — the bottom common of his profession.
The Titans’ run blocking didn’t generate a lot push to assist create clear seems for the Pollard, as he totaled 81.9% of his yardage after first contact, the best by any again to exceed 1,000 yards on the bottom.
Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings: 75.4
- Former Staff: Inexperienced Bay Packers
- Contract Worth: One yr, $7 million
After Inexperienced Bay opted to maneuver on from Jones, the veteran again determined to maintain his skills within the NFC North, signing a one-year take care of Minnesota. Regardless of pushing 30 years previous and discovering a brand new residence, Jones continued to carry out at an distinctive stage of consistency, having by no means produced a daily season with a sub-75.0 PFF total grade.
With the short-term deal signed final offseason, Jones is once more slated to hit the open market in March. He’s armed with a brand new career-high mark in speeding yardage (1,138), proof that he can nonetheless produce at a excessive stage it doesn’t matter what jersey is on his again.
Devin Singletary, New York Giants: 62.1
- Former Staff: Houston Texans
- Contract Worth: Three years, $16.5 million
Saquon Barkley’s departure led the Giants to faucet Devin Singletary to take the reins in 2024. That proved to be a problem that Singletary couldn’t rise to. The previous Payments and Texans again produced the bottom PFF speeding grade of his profession (64.5), totaling simply 3.9 yards per carry — his first-ever season of falling under 4.0.
Affected by collapsing working lanes and poor execution, Singletary was rapidly overtaken by fifth-round rookie Tyrone Tracy, who produced marginally higher within the function. Even nonetheless, the Giants‘ backfield wasn’t overly productive, leaving the door open for choices in 2025.
Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders: 73.9
Ekeler’s companies have been much less sought-after in free company following a troubling 2023 marketing campaign in Los Angeles. He in the end landed as a complement contributor to Brian Robinson Jr. within the Commanders‘ backfield. Because of this, Ekeler noticed his lowest snap share (408) in a season since 2018, primarily that includes because the third-down/receiving again.
After a severe concussion in Week 12 landed Ekeler on injured reserve, he returned to classic type in time for the postseason. Within the divisional spherical, he earned a 90.9 PFF receiving grade — the third-highest mark by a again within the playoffs within the PFF period.
