There’s still a bevy of talented tailbacks around the league, but 2023 is arguably the worst time ever to be a star running back.
At least in terms of getting a long-term contract extension.
The latest example of how devalued the position has become is Saquon Barkley. The talented runner didn’t reach a long-term deal with the New York Giants on Monday, which drew a shocked reaction from Jonathan Taylor. But Taylor was far from the only lead tailback to express displeasure at Monday’s news.
As running backs increasingly find it harder and harder to secure long-term contracts, these players are starting to feel the squeeze, and they’re not happy. You can even see it in the contract weeds — the league’s highest-paid running back for the 2023 season (Christian McCaffrey at $16 million) is now only above the highest-paid kicker, fullback, punter, and long snapper. There used to be a time when running back focal points in long-term team building.
But that is not the case anymore.
Derrick Henry, a two-time league-leading rusher, and other difference-making running backs took to Twitter Monday to criticize how NFL teams have devalued their work in the backfield.
NFL RBs criticized how the position has been devalued on Twitter
At this point , just take the RB position out the game then . The ones that want to be great & work as hard as they can to give their all to an organization , just seems like it don’t even matter . I’m with every RB that’s fighting to get what they deserve . https://t.co/OgvBWZCKvn
— Derrick Henry (@KingHenry_2) July 17, 2023
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
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
This is the kind of trash that has artificially devalued one of the most important positions in the game. 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. https://t.co/sRYfAKwrpQ
— Austin Ekeler (@AustinEkeler) July 17, 2023
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
