Free agent running back Latavius Murray will meet with the Jaguars on Monday and the Seahawks on Tuesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Murray averaged 4.0 yards per carry in each of his two seasons as the Raiders’ primary starter, a post he ascended to late in the 2014 season. While he rushed for 12 touchdowns in 2016, Murray saw Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington eat into his workload. He surpassed 1,000 yards in 2015 but rushed for only 788 last season.
The Seahawks are looking for a veteran, durable running back to play alongside Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise. Jacksonville makes less sense as a potential destination, given that the club recently spent a second-round pick on T.J. Yeldon and signed Chris Ivory to a hefty free agent contract last offseason. Theoretically, the Jags could cut Ivory, but they’d incur more than $7MM in dead money by doing so.
My guess would be if the Jags sign Murray then they look for a trade with Yeldon for a 4-6 round draft pick. Wouldn’t make much sense though as I feel Yeldon and Murray would put up comparable numbers.
Wouldn’t mind seeing Murray in a Giants uniform
Can’t say that I agree with the notion that Murray would be the best answer at RB for the Seahawks and the only way that he’d look good in a Giants uniform is from a purely esthetic viewpoint (like the silver & black, pretty much anyone looks good in Giant blue). As a diehard Raiders fan my entire life, I honestly don’t see Latavius as a go-to bell cow type of runner. His lacks the initial burst to get him around the edge & can’t break a tackle to save his life; once he feels the hands, he’s down faster than James Reimer, the infamous incompetent (and mercifully former) goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs or a jonesing crack whore desperate for a fix. In fact the main reason that Murray managed to put up some halfway decent numbers is his enormous advantage over the other tailbacks around the league; he’s running behind the blocking of arguably the best offensive line in the NFL. There’s not a running back in the league who wouldn’t look good coming out of that backfield & who’s numbers wouldn’t spike given the opportunity. Furthermore, the fact that the Raiders have done little if anything to demonstrate that they have any real interest in re-signing Murray (I haven’t even heard of an offer being presented to him nor am I buying for a second this nonsense about how the Raiders are supposedly “letting LM test the free agency waters” in order to accurately gauge his current market value before pushing to re-sign him. If anything, the coaching staff has lost confidence in his abilities as a full-time, 3-down back as he’s seen his workload fragmented by the addition of DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard (the latter an undrafted, off-the-street rookie) who both managed to put up impressive numbers as green-pea tailbacks behind the stellar blocking of centre Rodney Hudson and guards Keleche Osemele (last year’s prize free agent acquisition from the Ravens) and surprise second-year star Gabe Jackson.
If it were up to me, I’d stay away from Latavius Murray altogether and go with one of Lacy, Peterson and if his knee is 100%, Jamaal Charles, all of whom bring to the table elite experience and early down, power rushing capabilities; the type of addition that the Seahawks (and ironically the Raiders) are looking for. And any of these players can be had for a lot less than what the younger & more demanding Murray will be asking for.
It’s not that I dislike Latavius Murray necessarily; he seems like a fairly affable sort and is a popular presence in the locker room. As a #1 running back, however, he’s more of a prospective liability than an asset.