PITTSBURGH -- As if NFL running backs needed another sobering reminder of their declining market, 2017 free agency happened. Nearly two weeks into new league year, one of the best backs of a generation, Adrian Peterson, remains unemployed. Eddie Lacy settled for a one-year prove-it deal with a weight clause. At least 25 unrestricted free agent tailbacks are unemployed, more than any other NFL position.
Le'Veon Bell -- a semblance of financial hope for the modern back -- can either succumb to this distressed landscape or lift it up. The litmus test for backs everywhere: Can a 25-year-old who creates yards on his own, catches passes like a slot receiver and carries a $12.