Monday Saw More Questions Arise at the Running Back Position Across the NFL
Josh Frey
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Monday at 4 PM EST was the NFL franchise tag deadline. This was the last-ditch effort for teams to sign players to long-term contracts after they were franchise-tagged this spring. As the deadline came and passed, we saw more questions arise at the running back position.
Three players headlined the group of franchise-tagged players this year, especially after TE Evan Engram landed a three-year deal to remain with the Jacksonville Jaguars: Giants RB Saquon Barkley, Raiders RB Josh Jacobs, and Cowboys RB Tony Pollard. None of the three were able to secure long-term contracts with their current teams, and they will be forced to play on the franchise tag this season.
This result not only causes further uncertainty for the future, but especially in the case of Saquon Barkley, the questions begin immediately with training camp just about a week away.
According to recent reports out of New York, the former third overall pick has been prepared to sit out the 2023 season if he didn’t secure a long-term contract. For an NFC that already appears as wide open as ever, a 2022 playoff team potentially losing a key contributor from that run would be a huge development. This is especially true for the Minnesota Vikings, considering it was Barkley’s Giants that knocked them out of those 2022 playoffs.
Then, if we look at a player like Jacobs, who is coming off a season where he led the entire NFL in rushing yards plays for a team with major questions at the quarterback position, it is quite baffling that he was unable to secure a long-term contract with the Raiders. One has to think that this impacts Jacobs’ desire to remain with the team past this season, or even in 2023.
This just continues a very common theme of questions regarding the NFL’s running back position. Just this offseason, we’ve seen Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott released from the Vikings and Cowboys as salary cap casualties, and Austin Ekeler had to restructure his contract, becoming a free agent next spring.
As ESPN’s Adam Schefter pointed out on Twitter in the aftermath of this year’s franchise tag deadline, the last time a running back earned a long-term contract worth $10+ million per year was Nick Chubb back in 2021. That deal officially happened on July 31, 2021, which was 716 days ago.
As NFL offenses grow evermore pass-happy, we’ve seen a severe devaluation of the league’s running back position, leading to fewer and fewer long contracts. This is certainly something to keep an eye on in the coming years. Will the trend continue?
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.