McCaffrey, Henry among players criticizing 'criminal' state of RB market
Some of the NFL's best running backs criticized how teams have approached the running-back market in what's been a quiet offseason for the position.
Tennessee Titans star Derrick Henry said Monday he supports every RB "fighting to get what they deserve."
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
Henry's tweet comes hours after franchise-tagged running backs Saquon Barkley (New York Giants), Josh Jacobs (Las Vegas Raiders), and Tony Pollard (Dallas Cowboys) didn't agree to multi-year contracts with their respective teams before Monday's deadline.
San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey - who tops the position in average annual salary - called it "criminal."
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
Pollard signed his one-year tender with the Cowboys and will earn $10.09 million in 2023. Barkley and Jacobs haven't signed their franchise tags and aren't expected to report to training camp.
Barkley, the 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year, is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, helping New York reach the playoffs last season. Jacobs earned his first first-team All-Pro nod after leading the league with 2,053 scrimmage yards. He also scored 12 touchdowns in 2022.
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, Austin Ekeler of the Los Angeles Chargers, and Najee Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers also criticized the state of the running-back market. Taylor and Ekeler are both in the final year of their contracts.
1. If you’re good enough, they’ll find you.
— Jonathan Taylor (@JayT23) July 17, 2023
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
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
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
Henry signed a four-year, $50-million extension in 2020 and ranks third among running backs in average annual salary. The 29-year-old - who's led the NFL in rushing attempts, yards, and touchdowns multiple times - is also set to become a free agent in 2024.
McCaffrey leads all running backs with an average annual salary of $16 million. Only four NFL positions have their highest-paid player earning less per year: kicker ($6 million), fullback ($5.4 million), punter ($3.68 million), and long snapper ($1.58 million). Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is the league's highest-paid player with a $52-million average annual salary.
Free agent Melvin Gordon recently called running back "the worst position to play in the NFL."
Multiple high-profile running backs remain unsigned, including Dalvin Cook, Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, and Kareem Hunt. Miles Sanders inked the position's biggest contract of the year so far, joining the Carolina Panthers in free agency on a four-year, $25-million deal.