Heading into free agency, Raiders have question marks at running back

ALAMEDA - Marshawn Lynch has yet to make public a decision about his future, and Raiders coach Jon Gruden doesn't know whether Lynch will retire or want to return for another season.

When Lynch was injured with a groin injury, he was still somewhere approaching his tackle-breaking best as a runner. Doug Martin, a bargain free-agent signing a year ago on a one-year contract, picked up the slack nicely after Lynch was hurt.

It's conceivable that when free agency opens on Wednesday, the Raiders won't have commitments from either of their lead backs who combined for 1,099 yards on 262 carries and seven touchdowns.

Both are unrestricted free agents.

Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock have been in contact with Doug Hendrickson, the agent for Lynch, to see if the Oakland-born running back is healthy enough or has the desire to play what could be the Raiders' last season in his hometown at age 33.

Jalen Richard, a change-of-pace back Gruden has compared to Charlie Garner, caught a career-high 68 passes for 607 yards and is a restricted free agent, meaning he remains under the Raiders' control. He only leaves if another team makes an offer the Raiders decline to match.

Other backs currently on the roster include DeAndre Washington, whose skill set is similar to that of Richard, and Chris Warren, a bruising back who led the Raiders in rushing last preseason before undergoing minor knee surgery and spending the season on injured reserve.

Gruden said in Indianapolis during the NFL combine that he can't put a timeline on when Lynch will decide if he's healthy enough to play or wants to play. The Raiders will proceed in free agency and draft preparations without knowing Lynch's future plans.

The Raiders ranked 25th in the NFL with 101.8 rushing yards per game last season, and Martin tied for the league lead among running backs with three fumbles lost.

Even if Lynch returns and Martin re-signs, the Raiders might draft an insurance back in the later rounds or look to add one in free agency.

Who's here: Richard (restricted free agent), Washington, Warren, Keith Smith (fullback) and James Butler.

The running back market

Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh: Sat out the 2018 season rather than play under the franchise tag. Bell will be free to get top dollar and is clearly the prize player at his position at age 27. For any team looking for a 300-carry back with proven production (and many teams are opting for multiple backs), Bell is your guy.

Tevin Coleman, Atlanta: Had 800 yards rushing for the Falcons last season and nine touchdowns - five of those receiving. Effective as a runner and receiver. His 167 carries last season were a career high. He performs best when paired with another back who can share the load.

Mark Ingram, New Orleans: The productive back has averaged 4.5 yards per carry in his career including 4.7 last season. He missed four games for being in violation of the NFL policy for performance-enhancing drugs. Probably has a year or two left at age 29 with 1,321 career carries.

Doug Martin, Raiders: Martin, 30, showed he had some juice left by rushing for 723 yards in nine starts following a season-ending groin injury to Marshawn Lynch. Gained 723 yards on 123 carries (4.2 yards per carry) but did lose three fumbles.

Latavius Murray, Minnesota: The tall, upright runner fumbled just once in his last 356 carries and still shows some tackle-breaking ability. He never emerged as a feature back with the Vikings after solid seasons with the Raiders in 2015 and 2016.

Long in the tooth but maybe one more year: Adrian Peterson (Washington), Lynch (Raiders), Frank Gore (Miami), Jonathan Stewart (Jacksonville), LeGarrette Blount (Detroit).

Fullbacks: Ryan Hewitt (Indianapolis), Orson Charles (Cleveland), Tommy Bohanon (Jacksonville), Nick Bellore (Detroit), Jamize Olawale (Dallas).

Harris re-signs

On Friday, the Raiders signed safety Erik Harris to a two-year contract.

Harris was eligible to become a restricted free agent next week before agreeing to the new deal that reportedly is worth up to $6.5 million with $2.5 million in guaranteed money.

Harris started his professional career in the CFL. He was mostly a special teams player in 2016 with New Orleans and in 2017 in Oakland, with just five defensive snaps those years.

Harris then emerged as a more regular contributor for the Raiders last season. He started four games and played 429 snaps on defense while remaining a key special teams player. Harris had 49 tackles, two interceptions and seven passes defensed last season.