Marcus Murphy and Chris Ivory
Other than LeSean McCoy and Keith Ford, Marcus Murphy and Chris Ivory are the lone running backs remaining on the roster that have seen significant playing time this season. Both Murphy and Ivory have their strengths, but only one should return in 2019.
Murphy, not Ivory, should be the lone holdover from the running back room for Buffalo next season. At 27, Murphy is younger and a better dual-threat option out of the backfield compared to Ivory’s down-hill running style at age 30.
Heading into the season finale, Ivory had posted 340 rushing yards on 101 carries and scored one touchdown. He had added 12 receptions for 159 yards. He finished Sunday’s game with 45 rushing yards and one big reception for 46 yards.
By cutting the veteran back, the Bills could save just north of $2 million on their cap and find a cheaper, more effective option in the draft or free agency.
At 5-foot-9 and 195 pounds, Murphy is the complete opposite style of player compared to Ivory. He is more of the LeSean McCoy mold where he is shifty and can catch as well as run. He finished with a total of 250 rushing yards on just 52 carries while adding 26 yards receiving on 11 receptions.
None of those are eye-popping numbers, but by taking those numbers and comparing them to Ivory’s, Murphy has been the more effective player. If the team were to move on from McCoy and Ivory, Murphy would then become the back with the most experience with current offense in the room.
However, Murphy has a lot of experience with Josh Allen running the third team in preseason and in several games this season.
Keeping Murphy over Ivory makes the most sense from a versatility standpoint and financially speaking.