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If the Cincinnati Bengals are looking to sign a running back in free agency, they'll have options. Names like Ben Tate, Donald Brown, Knowshon Moreno, LeGarrette Blount, Maurice Jones-Drew, Toby Gerhart and yes... Darren McFadden... will be available on March 11.
Yet, as the league transitions away from having dominant running games, the position of running back, while still important, is depreciating in value.
In fact, according to Pro Football Talk, there is no market for running backs right now.
As one source who has been actively working the phones throughout the day told PFT on Saturday night, there’s currently no market for running backs.
Save for the Darren McFadden connection with Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, Cincinnati doesn't figure to make much movement in the running back market.
In addition to having no market, the free agent running back class lost one this weekend. Former Steelers and Cardinals running back Rashard Mendenhall has decided to retire after six seasons in the NFL.
Teams told Cardinals UFA RB Rashard Mendenhall is, in fact, retiring, per sources. Mendenhall hinted at in a Feb. 25 Huffington Post column.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2014
Mendenhall was improving in each of his first three seasons with the Steelers, generating 2,381 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns in 2009 and 2010 combined. He played seven games against the Cincinnati Bengals, posting 355 yards rushing, a 3.7 yard/rush average and five touchdowns. Unable to recover his original form after an ACL, Mendenhall left Pittsburgh to play one season in Arizona, generating 687 yards rushing, a 3.2 yard/rush average and eight touchdowns.