Ah, the running back position—a fleeting, glorious flash in the NFL pan. One day, you’re tearing up defenses; the next, you’re getting cut for cap space. Teams just can’t help themselves, though.
Every few years, a front office convinces itself that this running back is different and throws a massive contract his way. More often than not, that turns out to be a terrible investment. So, let’s take a look at 10 running backs who secured the bag… and then promptly faded into irrelevance.
1. Todd Gurley (Los Angeles Rams)
Gurley was unstoppable at his peak, but the Rams ignored every warning sign about his knee issues and handed him a four-year, $60 million extension in 2018. Less than two years later, they paid him not to be on the team. Ouch.
2. David Johnson (Arizona Cardinals)
After a monster 2016 season, Johnson got a three-year, $39 million deal in 2018. Unfortunately, injuries and a general decline in explosiveness made him a shadow of his former self. The Cardinals eventually offloaded him in the infamous DeAndre Hopkins trade (which somehow made them look worse).
3. Ezekiel Elliott (Dallas Cowboys)
Zeke was a dominant force early on, but the Cowboys made a classic mistake: paying a running back big money in 2019. His six-year, $90 million contract aged like milk, as his production steadily declined, and by 2023, he was playing second fiddle in New England.
4. Le’Veon Bell (New York Jets)
After sitting out an entire season due to a contract dispute with the Steelers, Bell finally got his payday in 2019—a four-year, $52.5 million deal with the Jets. It took just two seasons for New York to realize they had made a colossal mistake. Bell never came close to his Pittsburgh form again.
5. Devonta Freeman (Atlanta Falcons)
The Falcons got swept up in Freeman’s electric play and handed him a five-year, $41.25 million extension in 2017, making him the highest-paid RB at the time. A couple of injury-riddled seasons later, Atlanta cut him, and he bounced around the league before fading into obscurity.
6. Christian McCaffrey (Carolina Panthers)
CMC almost doesn’t belong here, but his four-year, $64 million contract in 2020 didn’t pan out for Carolina. Injuries derailed his next two seasons, and the Panthers shipped him to San Francisco. He’s still elite, but Panthers fans were left holding a very expensive bag.
7. DeMarco Murray (Philadelphia Eagles)
Murray led the NFL in rushing in 2014, so naturally, the Eagles gave him a five-year, $42 million contract in 2015. He then proceeded to run like he had bricks in his cleats. Philly cut bait after just one season.
8. Shaun Alexander (Seattle Seahawks)
Alexander was the NFL MVP in 2005, so the Seahawks rewarded him with a $62 million contract. He lasted just two more forgettable seasons before Seattle realized they had paid for past production.
9. Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans)
CJ2K was electric, but the Titans still shouldn’t have handed him a four-year, $53.5 million deal in 2011. He never came close to his 2,000-yard form again and was unceremoniously cut after three meh seasons.
Related: Ranking Every NFL Team From Worst to Best: 24-25 Season
10. Trent Richardson (Cleveland Browns/Indianapolis Colts)
Okay, so Richardson technically never got a second big deal, but let’s be real—Cleveland spent the No. 3 overall pick on him, and the Colts traded a first-rounder for him. That’s some serious investment in a guy who ran like he had a GPS set to “run into linemen.”
