Getty Latavius Murray, the Denver Broncos' 2022 lead running back, has signed with another AFC team.
The Buffalo Bills overhauled their running back room this offseason, watching leading rusher Devin Singeltary leave in free agency and bringing on two veterans to add a size and power element that for the last three years had been missing.
But a report suggests that one of those veterans could find himself on the outside of the roster bubble by the time the season starts. Ryan O’Halloran of the Buffalo News noted that despite a bounceback season in 2022, Latavius Murray may not have enough to make the final roster and could end up on the trade block.
Latavius Murray ‘Odd One Out’ in Buffalo
As O’Halloran noted, the Bills could have some difficult decisions at running back this season. The team made a trade-deadline deal to acquire Nyheim Hines last year, but did not use him much outside the return game. Second-year back James Cook is expected to take over Singletary’s role as lead running back and former New England Patriots back Damien Harris will be a short-yardage threat, which could leave Hines and Murray fighting for the remaining spot.
“Murray was the last of the Bills’ tailbacks to join the organization, and he is on a one-year contract,” O’Halloran wrote. “If the Bills want to keep Hines in the role of returner/gadget offensive player, Murray projects as the odd player out.”
O’Halloran added that Murray still has value in the league, especially after being pulled up from the practice squad of the New Orleans Saints last season and finishing the year with 703 yards on 160 carries with five touchdowns.
Bills sign RB Latavius Murray to one-year deal.
If Murray should find himself too low on the depth chart, Bills general manager Brandon Beane could seek value in a trade, O’Halloran suggested. Beane has had a knack for flipping marginal roster candidates for late-round draft picks, and Murray could be this year’s top candidate.
“Murray, though, will play somewhere,” he wrote. “One or more teams are bound to have injuries at the sport’s most physical position, and the Bills could command a late-round pick for Murray.”
Another Role for Latavius Murray
The Bills could find another role for Murray if he fails to make the final 53-man roster. Last year the team brought on versatile veteran back Duke Johnson to compete for a spot, but he ended up being released at final cuts and added to the practice squad as an insurance policy in case of injuries to Singletary or Cook.
While the Bills’ running backs remained mostly healthy and Johnson was only pulled up to the active roster for one game last season, the team appears to value veteran depth at running back and Murray could move into the same role this year if he fails to earn a roster spot.
The Bills have already shown some commitment to Murray, with Beane giving assurances to Murray’s agent that the team would avoid drafting a running back if he committed to signing with them.
“That was actually done while we were still drafting,” Beane said, via NewYorkUpstate.com. “I reached out to his agent on Saturday and I was like, ‘There’s still some backs I can draft, but I could use some picks elsewhere at some different positions if you’ll go ahead and do this deal. I won’t draft a running back.’”
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Bills Could Trade Veteran RB in Surprise Summer Move: Insider