Ranking the AFC East Running Back Situations, Pre-Draft Edition
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After the first wave of free agency, it's a good time to revisit every team's roster and see where everybody stands at each position.
The Miami Dolphins were by far the most active team in the division when it came to making moves at running back in the offseason, picking up halfbacks Raheem Mostert and Chase Edmonds along with fullback Alec Ingold via free agency.
Let's examine each team's situation before we proceed with our AFC East ranking of the running back position.
BUFFALO BILLS
On the roster: Devin Singletary, Zack Moss, Taiwan Jones, Duke Johnson
Offseason moves: Signed Duke Johnson as an unrestricted free agent from Miami ... re-signed Taiwan Jones as a UFA ... lost Matt Breida as a UFA (N.Y. Giants)
Projected opening-day starter: Devin Singletary
2021 stats: Singletary — 870 rushing yards, 4.6 average, 7 TDs, 40 catches; Moss — 345 rushing yards, 3.6 avg., 4 TDs, 23 catches
Outlook: The Bills ranked sixth in rushing yards per game and per carry in 2021, but that stat is a bit misleading because their second-leading rusher was quarterback Josh Allen. With Allen the clear focal point of the offense, Singletary and Moss are asked to play complementary roles and they handle it pretty well for the most part. Johnson was very good for the Dolphins in the final weeks of the 2021 season and he'll bring quality depth to the group.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
On the roster: Raheem Mostert, Chase Edmonds, Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed, Gerrid Doaks, FB Alec Ingold, FB John Lovett
Offseason moves: Signed Mostert as an unrestricted free agent from San Francisco ... signed Edmonds as a UFA from Arizona ... signed Ingold as a UFA from Las Vegas ... signed Moffett as a free agent ... re-signed Ahmed as an exclusive-rights free agent ... loss Duke Johnson as a UFA (Buffalo) ... declined to extend a tender to restricted free agent Patrick Laird ... Malcolm Brown and Phillip Lindsay became unrestricted free agents
Projected opening-day starter: Raheem Mostert, Alec Ingold
2021 stats: Gaskin — 612 rushing yards, 3.5 average, 3 TDs, 49 catches; Johnson — 330 rushing yards, 4.6 avg., 3 TDs, 4 catches
Outlook: The Dolphins clearly needed to upgrade at this position after a disappointing 2021 performance by the running game that wasn't entirely the fault of the offensive line (despite what some might have you believe). Raheem Mostert brings a big-time speed element to the offense, provided he can bounce back from the knee injury that ended his 2021 season after one game, while Edmonds is a very good complementary running back. The addition of Ingold also figures to help the running game.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
On the roster: James White, Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, J.J. Taylor, Devine Ozigbo,
Offseason moves: Re-signed White to a two-year contract ... lost Brandon Bolden as an unrestricted free agent (Las Vegas) ... declined to tender restricted free agent FB Jakob Johnson (who signed with Las Vegas)
Projected opening-day starter: Damien Harris
2021 stats: Harris — 929 rushing yards, 4.6 average, 15 TDs, 18 catches; Stevenson — 606 rushing yards, 4.6 avg., 5 TDs, 14 catches
Outlook: The Patriots return their physical one-two punch with Harris and Stevenson, and the return of White after he was limited to three games in 2021 because of a hip injury should greatly benefit the passing game. One interesting thing to note is that the Patriots currently don't have a fullback on their roster after declining to extend a tender to restricted free agent Jakob Johnson, who then decided to rejoin Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas after the Raiders declined to tender RFA Alec Ingold, who signed with the Dolphins.
NEW YORK JETS
On the roster: Michael Carter, Tevin Coleman, Ty Johnson, La'Mical Perine, Austin Walter, FB Nick Bawden
Offseason moves: Re-signed Coleman as an unrestricted free agent ... re-signed Bawden as a UFA
Projected opening-day starter: Michael Carter
2021 stats: Carter — 639 rushing yards, 4.3 average, 4 TDs, 36 catches; Coleman — 356 rushing yards, 4.2 avg., 0 TDs, 11 catches; Johnson — 238 rushing yards, 3.9 avg., 2 TDs, 34 catches
Outlook: The Jets pretty much maintained the status quo at running back when they decided to re-sign Coleman. It's Carter, though, who will be the focal point after he looked impressive as a rookie fourth-round pick out of North Carolina.
RANKING THE AFC EAST RB SITUATIONS
The Patriots have taken a lot of flack in recent years (and rightly so) for their inability to find wide receivers, but they sure have been able to come up with good running backs.
While New England usually having a good offensive line obviously helps, the team deserves credit for coming up with players like Harris and Stevenson in the middle part of the draft — third round and fourth round, respectively. With those two and White back as the pass-catching specialist, the Patriots still look like they have the best running back corps in the division.
It's very close among the other three teams, though maybe we have to go with Buffalo second considering the Dolphins' most effective back in 2021 was signed to become their third option this year.
This, of course, was the result of the Dolphins giving themselves a fresh look at running back with the addition of the speedy Mostert and Edmonds. It very well may be that the rankings will need to be adjusted at some point in 2022, but for now the Bills deserve a slight edge over the Dolphins.
The call: 1. New England; 2. Buffalo; 3. Miami; 4. N.Y. Jets
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Alain Poupart has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989. You can follow him on Twitter at @PoupartNFL.
