Cleveland Browns release Ben Tate, the latest free-agent RB failure
Memo to NFL decision makers: Maybe think twice before signing that free-agent running back in the future.
The market for backs already had been depressed coming into last offseason, but this latest news proved that the recession is here to stay.
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Tate didn’t sign for huge money at all (two years, $6.2 million), but it’s clear now that it was almost a total waste of financial resources. The Cleveland Browns had grown tired of Tate of late, and his performance the past five games — 53 carries, 90 yards — suggested it might be time to stop giving him opportunities and live with the ups and downs of rookie backs Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell.
Head coach Mike Pettine said, via ESPN.com, on Monday that Crowell and West were more explosive than Tate.
“Three’s an explosiveness there with the young backs, just a little bit more pop,” Pettine said. “We wanted to see those guys out there. Sometimes it’s not a matter of a negative against a guy, it’s more of a positive with the other ones. We take everything into account.”
Tate had expressed frustration with the Browns’ three-back attack. He said he’d “be lying” if he said he was happy with that approach. No need to lie now, Ben.
But seriously, look at the free-agent running back class from this past offseason:
• The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Toby Gerhart for three years and $10.5 million. They have received a rushing average of 2.6 yards and a long run of 13 on 59 attempts.
• The New York Jets signed Chris Johnson for two years and $8 million. He’s on pace for nearly half his previous high carry total and has accumulated 193 yards on 44 rushes since Week 5.
• The Oakland Raiders — yes, we’re piling on here — signed Darren McFadden (one year, $1.75M) and Maurice Jones-Drew (three years, $7.5M) and have received, respectively, 393 and 70 rush yards from the pair.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers thought they added some thunder to their backfield, pairing LeGarrette Blount (two years, $3.85M) with Le’Veon Bell, and early this season that looked to be a solid signing. But after his latest stunt, leaving the field early Monday night after receiving zero carries, the Steelers might be on the verge of releasing Blount and swallowing hard on that deal.
Injuries have held back the New York Giants’ Rashad Jennings (four years, $10M), the Miami Dolphins’ Knowshon Moreno (one year, $3M) and the San Diego Chargers’ Donald Brown (three years, $10.5M) — and yet each have had their moments for their respective teams, to be fair. For every bargain, such as the Baltimore Ravens’ Justin Forsett (one year, $730K) or the Indianapolis Colts’ Ahmad Bradshaw (one year, 855K), there are 10 relative failures, it seems.
It further drives home the point that handing out checks, even deflated ones, to veteran running backs just doesn’t appear to be good business in the NFL these days. Their chances of getting hurt, showing too much wear or not being worth the money — really, any money — appears to be very high.
This has to come as depressing news for the Dallas Cowboys’ DeMarco Murray, a free agent this coming offseason who has been spectacular this season but might not see anywhere close to the money he thinks he deserves. It’s the nature of the NFL these days.
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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm
