Potential Washington Football Team free agent RB gems
Rex Burkhead, Patriots
Since Ron Rivera likes having players that are multi-faceted, the team should look to bring in Rex Burkhead. He has never been a full-time back but has built out a successful career as a utility back with the Patriots.
Despite being an eight-year veteran, Burkhead doesn’t have a lot of wear and tear, with only 340 career carries.
Just like J.D. McKissic and Logan Thomas, when he received opportunities, Burkhead has performed well. During his Patriots career, he has averaged 4.1 yards per carry and 8.9 yards per reception.
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Prior to his season-ending injury in Week 11 last season, Burkhead had the most snaps and second-most carries among running backs for the Patriots.
Due to coming off an injury-shortened season, and given his age, he might be able to be signed for a low-end short-term deal and could provide significant value over Peyton Barber.
Last season, Burkhead had more yards before contact (2.7 to 1.5), yards after contact (1.4 to 1.2 ), and broken tackles (5 to 4) compared to Barber despite having 27 fewer rushing attempts.
Barber also fared worse than Burkhead in rushing efficiency, with a success rate of 75% with 1-3 yards to go compared to a success rate of 81.8% for Burkhead, according to Sharp Football.
With Barber providing almost no value in the receiving game and being less efficient than Burkhead in short-yardage situations, this would be an instant upgrade for Washington, at what should come at a similar price point.