The NFL has a real problem when it comes to running backs.
The position has been completely devalued in recent years, and it was as apparent as ever on Monday when Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, and Tony Pollard failed to reach long-term deals with their teams.
Pollard is expected to play the 2023-24 NFL season on the franchise tag, but there are questions about whether Barkley and Jacobs will suit up or hold out until a deal is reached.
The lack of long-term deals also led to some very blunt messages from current NFL stars at the position, expressing their anger at the current market.
In fact, things have gotten so bad that kickers — yes, KICKERS — are making more than running backs on average in 2023.
This is a problem. pic.twitter.com/AOIG4ga7xP
— Luke Sawhook 🪚🪝 (@lukesawhook) July 17, 2023
Outrageous.
Teams have been content playing running backs through their rookie contracts and then drafting a younger back to replace them as soon as the initial deal has played out.
And the players are noticing.
Among the current star running backs to sound off were Christian McAffrey, Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, Austin Ekeler, and Najee Harris.
“This is Criminal,” McAffrey wrote on Twitter. “Three of the best PLAYERS in the entire league, regardless of position.”
This is Criminal. Three of the best PLAYERS in the entire league, regardless of position. https://t.co/zDXRS5cGdu
— Christian McCaffrey (@CMC_22) July 17, 2023
Colts star Jonathan Taylor expressed his frustrations that “it doesn’t matter” how much you do for an organization when you’re a running back.
1. If you’re good enough, they’ll find you.
2. If you work hard enough, you’ll succeed.
…If you succeed…
3. You boost the Organization
…and then…
Doesn’t matter, you’re a RB https://t.co/mG6In1ATGg
— Jonathan Taylor (@JayT23) July 17, 2023
Ekeler shared his support for his fellow running backs, while directly responding to draft analyst Matt Miller and ripping his take on how teams should approach the position.
The Chargers star said it was “trash” like Miller spewed that leads to the devaluation of rushers in the league.
“This is the kind of trash that has artificially devalued one of the most important positions in the game,” Ekeler wrote. “Everyone knows it’s tough to win without a top RB and yet they act like we are discardable widgets. I support any RB doing whatever it takes to get his bag.”
Titans star Derrick Henry said “at this point just take the running back position out of the game then,” and Steelers’ Najee Harris added on to say the “notion that we deserve less is a joke.”
I agree with my running back brothers around the NFL- history will show that you need running backs to win- we set the tone every game and run trough walls for our team and lead in many ways- this notion that we deserve less is a joke. https://t.co/rWJkGIEgmW
— Najee Harris (@ohthatsNajee22) July 17, 2023
Even NFL analysts got in on the mix.
Running backs are some of the most crucial players in the NFL until it’s time for them to get paid as such. Bizarre.
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) July 18, 2023
The NFL is going to have to address the disparity in pay at the position at some point, especially if some of the league’s top stars continue to call it out.
Sure, running backs may have a shorter shelf life than players at other positions, but it’s because they do the hard work in the trenches and move the chains when you need those crucial yards in big-time situations.
No one in their right mind can think that running backs should be paid less than kickers.
It needs to be fixed.