For the most part I would say that I'm not into putting heavy resources into running backs, given how for the most part you can plug and play running backs in this league, especially if you have the offensive lines to do it.
With that being said, having a legitimate top talent at running back behind a line can obviously have its benefits.
The question then becomes how do you get this. I am staunchly against paying a running back. Just don't want to do it, but I don't mind getting a running back in the first round, though to be honest I'm not a huge fan of that either.
Outside of Dez Bryant, who I think most people would agree, would be pretty difficult to replace cheaply, the biggest free agent expense facing us this year is at running back.
The way I see it is I would offer Murray between 4 and 5 million a year, maybe with the first two years guaranteed, but outside of that, I'm not interested in shelling out more money for him. If he balks and someone wants to pay him 8-9 million a year thinking they're getting our offensive line with him, by all means let them.
That would bring us to Adrian Peterson. Does Adrian Peterson get released? Peterson is reinstated should be eligible by April 15th, well before the draft. I think we'll probably get an answer before then.
The first question is when will Peterson be reinstated, but the second question which is probably more important is what does Minnesota do with him. If they release him, fine, great. If they won't release him, will they trade for him, and how much will they ask for in a trade. I would give up a 5th maybe a 4th round draft pick for him. That also brings up the question of compensation, as I said before I don't want to break the bank for a running back. In signing him or trading for him, we would need to redo his contract and it would need to be team friendly.
Assuming we get neither running back though, I think we can use the money we save from not signing Murray to invest into the defense. I think that investment would afford us the ability to draft a running back in the first round.
Assume for instance that we spend 20 million dollars (per year on average) on defense in this years free agency. We could probably spend upwards of 30 million by not resigning Murray and instead finding his replacement in the draft.
That makes a large difference.
We can also install Ryan Williams, who while many may be tired of hearing about, could certainly help a rookie running back carry the load early in their career.
In closing, I would say that when you realize how difficult it is to build this defense for 2015 through the draft, you realize that we need to make the proper short term investments through free agency, the less you want to spend resources on RT and RB which can fairly easily be replaced in the draft.
If you don't get Gurley or Gordon in the draft, you can try to draft a running back later, and worst case scenario you can go with what you have (depending on if you cut Randle). There are also some free agent running back options that should come much cheaper than Murray would, Ingram or Spiller for example.
