A smaller free agency signing last week involved Keaton Mitchell. He's been the oft-injured change-of-pace for the Ravens the last three years, but was healthy last year. The Chargers signed him to a two-year contract.
The deal is for $9.25 million over two seasons, with $5 million guaranteed. Not a big contract these days, but enough to suggest he'll have a role in the backfield. Mitchell also returned kicks for Baltimore, duties which will probably be on his plate in Los Angeles, so that's part of it.
LA has Omarion Hampton as its starter and Kimani Vidal behind him, so it's hard to see a big offensive role. But maybe new OC Mike McDaniel sees a little of DeVon Achane in him. Same measurements (I get this does not make the same player).
I thought of Achane when looking at Mitchell's numbers his first three years in the league. He's averaged 6.3 yards per carry, 2nd among all running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts. 3rd over that time period is Achane. (I cropped the table at 4.0 to keep it from getting too unwieldy.)
| RUNNING BACK RUSHING, 2023-2025 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Run | No | Rec | TD | Avg |
| Emari Demercado, Ari. | 126 | 819 | 50 | 324 | 4 | 6.5 |
| Keaton Mitchell, Balt. | 121 | 767 | 19 | 184 | 3 | 6.3 |
| DeVon Achane, Mia. | 544 | 3057 | 172 | 1277 | 35 | 5.6 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs, Det. | 675 | 3580 | 181 | 1449 | 49 | 5.3 |
| Derrick Henry, Balt. | 912 | 4683 | 62 | 557 | 46 | 5.1 |
| TreVeyon Henderson, N.E. | 180 | 911 | 35 | 221 | 10 | 5.1 |
| James Cook, Buff. | 753 | 3752 | 109 | 994 | 38 | 5.0 |
| Jordan Mason, Min. | 352 | 1753 | 28 | 173 | 12 | 5.0 |
| Bijan Robinson, Atl. | 805 | 3910 | 198 | 1738 | 34 | 4.9 |
| Jaleel McLaughlin, Den. | 226 | 1093 | 59 | 263 | 7 | 4.8 |
| J.K. Dobbins, Den. | 356 | 1699 | 45 | 205 | 14 | 4.8 |
| Justice Hill, Balt. | 149 | 708 | 91 | 758 | 11 | 4.8 |
| Jonathan Taylor, Ind. | 795 | 3757 | 83 | 667 | 40 | 4.7 |
| Saquon Barkley, Phil. | 872 | 4107 | 111 | 831 | 34 | 4.7 |
| Blake Corum, LAR | 203 | 953 | 15 | 94 | 6 | 4.7 |
| Jaylen Warren, Pitt. | 480 | 2253 | 139 | 1013 | 13 | 4.7 |
| James Conner, Ari. | 476 | 2229 | 82 | 617 | 20 | 4.7 |
| Chris Rodriguez, Was. | 198 | 920 | 6 | 54 | 10 | 4.6 |
| Kyle Monangai, Chi. | 169 | 783 | 18 | 164 | 5 | 4.6 |
| Kyren Williams, LAR | 803 | 3695 | 102 | 669 | 44 | 4.6 |
| Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Was. | 175 | 805 | 9 | 68 | 8 | 4.6 |
| Samaje Perine, Cin. | 157 | 712 | 95 | 864 | 6 | 4.5 |
| Christian McCaffrey, S.F. | 633 | 2863 | 184 | 1634 | 38 | 4.5 |
| Ty Johnson, Buff. | 121 | 545 | 49 | 609 | 10 | 4.5 |
| Bucky Irving, T.B. | 380 | 1710 | 77 | 669 | 12 | 4.5 |
| Rico Dowdle, Car. | 560 | 2516 | 95 | 690 | 16 | 4.5 |
| Emanuel Wilson, G.B. | 242 | 1083 | 30 | 170 | 8 | 4.5 |
| Tank Bigsby, 2TM | 281 | 1254 | 11 | 92 | 11 | 4.5 |
| David Montgomery, Det. | 562 | 2506 | 76 | 650 | 33 | 4.5 |
| Aaron Jones, Min. | 529 | 2342 | 109 | 840 | 13 | 4.4 |
| Raheem Mostert, L.V. | 316 | 1394 | 56 | 406 | 23 | 4.4 |
| Omarion Hampton, LAC | 124 | 545 | 32 | 192 | 5 | 4.4 |
| D'Andre Swift, Chi. | 705 | 3095 | 115 | 899 | 22 | 4.4 |
| Jerome Ford, Cle. | 332 | 1451 | 107 | 647 | 12 | 4.4 |
| Kenneth Gainwell, Pitt. | 273 | 1191 | 119 | 785 | 11 | 4.4 |
| Breece Hall, NYJ | 675 | 2935 | 169 | 1424 | 22 | 4.3 |
| Chase Brown, Cin. | 505 | 2188 | 137 | 953 | 23 | 4.3 |
| Antonio Gibson, N.E. | 210 | 909 | 73 | 601 | 6 | 4.3 |
| Sean Tucker, T.B. | 151 | 651 | 19 | 152 | 11 | 4.3 |
| Khalil Herbert, NYJ | 184 | 793 | 31 | 163 | 4 | 4.3 |
| Tyrone Tracy, NYG | 368 | 1579 | 74 | 572 | 10 | 4.3 |
| Brian Robinson, S.F. | 457 | 1932 | 64 | 552 | 19 | 4.2 |
| Kenneth Walker, Sea. | 593 | 2505 | 106 | 840 | 22 | 4.2 |
| Isiah Pacheco, K.C. | 406 | 1707 | 75 | 424 | 12 | 4.2 |
| Tony Pollard, Ten. | 754 | 3166 | 129 | 755 | 16 | 4.2 |
| Ray Davis, Buff. | 171 | 717 | 27 | 275 | 9 | 4.2 |
| Chuba Hubbard, Car. | 622 | 2608 | 112 | 627 | 20 | 4.2 |
| Audric Estime, N.O. | 122 | 508 | 17 | 130 | 3 | 4.2 |
| Michael Carter, Ari. | 157 | 651 | 68 | 425 | 3 | 4.1 |
| Zach Charbonnet, Sea. | 427 | 1761 | 95 | 693 | 22 | 4.1 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson, N.E. | 493 | 2023 | 103 | 751 | 21 | 4.1 |
| Tyjae Spears, Ten. | 256 | 1048 | 127 | 873 | 10 | 4.1 |
| Javonte Williams, Dall. | 608 | 2488 | 134 | 711 | 22 | 4.1 |
| Joe Mixon, Hou. | 502 | 2050 | 88 | 685 | 24 | 4.1 |
| Cam Skattebo, NYG | 101 | 410 | 24 | 207 | 7 | 4.1 |
| Zack Moss, Cin. | 257 | 1036 | 50 | 379 | 10 | 4.0 |
| Kimani Vidal, LAC | 198 | 798 | 21 | 198 | 5 | 4.0 |
| Najee Harris, LAC | 533 | 2139 | 68 | 478 | 14 | 4.0 |
| Nick Chubb, Hou. | 252 | 1008 | 22 | 119 | 7 | 4.0 |
| Josh Jacobs, G.B. | 768 | 3063 | 109 | 920 | 36 | 4.0 |
| Rachaad White, T.B. | 548 | 2175 | 155 | 1160 | 22 | 4.0 |
| Devin Singletary, NYG | 448 | 1772 | 69 | 463 | 13 | 4.0 |
| Tyler Allgeier, Atl. | 466 | 1841 | 45 | 377 | 16 | 4.0 |
Yards per carry isn't everything. Emari Demercado is at the top of the table, and I'm not sure anyone should be selecting him anywhere. (He also signed last week, with Kansas City, to a one-year deal whose terms haven't been disclosed. Just guessing, but that probably means it's a minimum-type deal, and Mitchell has a better agent.)
But when guys who've shown some explosiveness sign with teams with questionable depth at the position, it's worth keeping an eye on. Mitchell and Demercado emerging as valid pieces of the offense might not be likely, but it's possible. Not that either will be the next Achane, of course.
--Andy Richardson
