Getty Image / Douglas P DeFelice
The NFL’s running back market took center stage in the sports world this week as a result of contract negotiations involving Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs.
The two star running backs had been franchise tagged, but were looking for longer term commitments from their franchises.
Those commitments didn’t come and now they are left with only two options. They can either play the 2023 season on the tag or not play at all.
The inability for top running backs to get big commitments this offseason hasn’t been exclusive to those two.
Austin Ekeler, Dalvin Cook, Joe Mixon have all run into issues of their own.
It’s something that the league’s best runners have taken notice of. After Monday’s extension deadline passed the NFL’s top RBs reportedly started a group chat to try and find solutions to the issue.
Today, it looks like they’ll be having a meeting to try and solve the problems of the NFL’s running back market.
According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Austin Ekeler has organized a Zoom call for tonight for the league’s top running backs to discuss the difficult market they currently face.
Top running backs will meet by Zoom tonight to discuss their depressed market — and presumably to consider ideas for improving it. https://t.co/smih5VR1xt
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) July 22, 2023
The report states that the NFL Player’s Association will also be represented at the meeting.
The biggest issues that running backs face in their battle for better pay are a lack of positional scarcity and their value in comparison to other positions around the league.
While there are definitely NFL running backs that can offer their teams performances that lesser running backs just can’t, there are a number of RBs that can provide starter level production without heavy investment.
We saw it last season from players like D’Onta Foreman and Jeff Wilson. There were also a ton of running backs producing on rookie deals.
Spending less at RB opens things up for teams at other positions. In a salary capped league, that’s something that teams need to consider.
Having a top tier running back just isn’t as important as an elite quarterback, dependable offensive line, disruptive pass rush, or top corners.
Maybe they’ll find some solution to change things for next offseason, but the NFL’s running backs may be facing an uphill battle to make more money over the course of their careers.