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2023 NFL Free Agency: Predicting where top 10 running backs land

By Sayre Bedinger

2023 NFL Free Agency: Josh Jacobs #28 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
2023 NFL Free Agency: Josh Jacobs #28 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images) /
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2023 NFL Free Agency
2023 NFL Free Agency; Carolina Panthers running back D’Onta Foreman (33) rushes against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

7. D’Onta Foreman, Carolina Panthers

We saw a couple of shocking late-bloomer types of stories throughout the NFL in the 2022 season, and one of them was D’Onta Foreman having a true breakout year as a member of the Carolina Panthers. Foreman was once considered a pretty stellar prospect coming out of Texas. He was drafted by the Houston Texans with the 89th overall pick back in 2017.

He played in just 11 games for the Texans before he didn’t play at all in 2019. He resurfaced with the Titans in 2020 and 2021 where he sort of found his footing. In 2021, he had 566 rushing yards in nine games averaging 4.3 yards per carry. With the Panthers in 2022, Foreman really stepped up in a big way, especially after the Christian McCaffrey trade.

He ran for 914 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. He didn’t offer much as a receiver in the passing game but Foreman proved he can carry the rock and do some damage when he’s given a solid workload back there.

He will be 27 this coming season and I’m sure the Panthers, even under a new regime, would love to have him back at the right price. The question is, what is the situation in Carolina going to look like? Are they going to bring in other players on this list as I’ve already speculated?

Foreman has to get the maximum value he possibly can on this contract. It might be the only big one he gets as an NFL player given his age and how the league looks at the running back position. maybe we see a reunion for Foreman with his old pals in Tennessee this offseason given the fact that Dontrell Hilliard is hitting free agency as well.

I just think he has a great situation in Carolina with this new coaching staff coming in, and if the Panthers do go out and draft a young QB, they are going to need as many guys as they can get at running back to carry the load. I think a combination of Miles Sanders and D’Onta Foreman in that Carolina backfield behind an improving offensive line sounds tremendous.

Prediction: Re-signs with Panthers

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