We’ve reached the point in the 2026 NFL free agency period when many of the top players have found new homes and the trickle of deals has significantly slowed down.
With that said, there are still quite a few notable players who remain unsigned, including several veteran running backs who are generating intrigue.
Who Are the Top Running Backs Still Available in 2026 NFL Free Agency
The 2026 NFL free agent class was pretty deep on running back talent. However, many of the notable running backs who were available have signed new deals elsewhere.
Here’s a look at every RB who has inked a new deal this offseason and where they landed:
- Breece Hall: New York Jets (franchise tag)
- Kenneth Walker III: Kansas City Chiefs
- Rico Dowdle: Pittsburgh Steelers
- Travis Etienne Jr.: New Orleans Saints
- Tyler Allgeier: Arizona Cardinals
- J.K. Dobbins: Denver Broncos
- Rachaad White: Washington Commanders
- Isiah Pacheco: Detroit Lions
- Brian Robinson Jr.: Atlanta Falcons
- Kenneth Gainwell: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Chris Rodriguez Jr.: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Keaton Mitchell: Los Angeles Chargers
- Jerome Ford: Washington Commanders
- Dameon Pierce: Philadelphia Eagles
- Emari Demercado: Kansas City Chiefs
- Emanuel Wilson: Seattle Seahawks
- Jaleel McLaughlin: Denver Broncos
- Julius Chestnut: Tennessee Titans
- Kene Nwangwu: New York Jets
- Ty Chandler: New Orleans Saints
- Zonovan Knight: Arizona Cardinals
- Patrick Taylor: San Francisco 49ers
- A.J. Dillon: Carolina Panthers
Walker was perhaps the biggest splash, as he agreed to a three-year, $43.05 million deal with Kansas City to replace Isiah Pacheco (who proceeded to join the Detroit Lions on a one-year contract worth $1.81 million). Walker finished last season as the 20th-best running back in the league, according to PFSN’s RB Impact metric.
Etienne (Saints), Dowdle (Steelers), and Allgeier (Cardinals) have all surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark at some point in their careers and will each get a fresh start on a new team.
Believe it or not, Gainwell posted the highest RBi grade of any 2026 free-agent back, as his 71.7 score ranked 11th-best in the league (even better than Hall’s 70.5). He inked a two-year, $14 million deal with the Buccaneers to form a one-two punch with Bucky Irving.
But which running backs are still unsigned? Here are the top-10 running backs still on the market:
- Joe Mixon, 29 years old
- Najee Harris, 28 years old
- Austin Ekeler, 30 years old
- Antonio Gibson, 27 years old
- Nick Chubb, 30 years old
- Dare Ogunbowale, 31 years old
- Travis Homer, 27 years old
- Raheem Mostert, 33 years old
- Kareem Hunt, 30 years old
- Jeremy McNichols, 30 years old
Mixon was released by the Houston Texans after suffering a mysterious ankle injury last offseason and missing the entirety of last season. During the 2024 campaign, Mixon was the backbone of Houston’s offense, finishing the year with 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 309 receiving yards and a score through the air.
Chubb replaced Mixon in Houston, recording for 506 yards and 3 touchdowns on 4.1 yards per carry, while also catching 13 passes for 67 yards.
Like Mixon, Ekeler, Harris, and Gibson are all coming off of serious injuries. Ekeler and Harris both tore their Achilles tendons early in the 2025 season, while Gibson tore his ACL.
Of the remaining free-agent RBs, Hunt was the most productive during the 2025 season. He was the 22nd-best RB in the NFL last season with a 62.5 RBi grade, which ranked ahead of David Montgomery (62.2), Tony Pollard (62.0), Etienne (61.7), and Aaron Jones (61.4) among others. Hunt rushed for 611 yards and 8 touchdowns, while also catching 18 passes for 143 yards and a score.
