Is the Wave Finally Turning on the Side of NFL Running Backs?

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Running Backs Fighting For Lucrative Contracts

Over the past years, NFL running backs have been fighting tooth and nail to negotiate higher wages for their talents. Josh Jacobs, Jonathan Taylor, and Nick Chubb have been some of the advocates for improving these wages.

On July 23rd, several running backs held a Zoom meeting to air their grievances over contract disputes. One of their disputes was the decline of value in franchise tags. In 2017, franchise tags for running backs were valued at $12.1 million, which has now decreased to $10 million.

Star Running Backs Finally Ink Deals

After missing several practices with the Giants, star running back Saquan Barkley ended his holdout and agreed to a one-year $11 million deal. Barkley claimed his hold-out was harming the team by creating a distraction.

Last year’s NFL leading rusher, Josh Jacobs, was also one of the running backs to hold out for all training camp. On August 26th, the news broke that the Raiders and Jacobs agreed to a one-year deal for up to $12 million.

Lastly, Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts ended his holdout after missing the season’s first four games. Both sides agreed to a three-year, $42 million extension. This made Taylor the league’s highest-paid running back.

Why Are NFL Organizations Hesitant When It Comes To Paying Running Backs?

So, what’s causing the severe decline in the value of the running back position?

Three words. Injuries and short careers.

Injuries

Unfortunately, the running back position is prone to a lot of injuries. Several promising running backs have been staggered by injuries throughout their careers.

Chargers Austin Ekeler and Giants Saquan Barkley have missed several weeks due to an ankle injury. Ravens running back JK Dobbins went down with a torn Achilles during the season’s first game. Browns star running back Nick Chubb suffered a gruesome leg injury during week two vs the Steelers. Chubb will miss the rest of the season.

These several set of injuries to players is another reason why teams want to avoid investing in running backs.

Short Careers

The average length of an NFL career is only 3.3 years. Running backs, in particular, hold the shortest average, with careers typically lasting 2.57 years (via Statista.com). Many NFL runningbacks tend to retire in their late 20s to early 30s. So why would an NFL franchise break the bank for a player who likely will be a former shell of themselves by their late 20s?

An example of a short career is former all-pro NFL running back Todd Gurley. In 2018, at age 24, Gurley made the first team all-pro while leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns. A year later, Gurley was released due to a lingering knee injury. Gurley’s final NFL season was in 2020 with the Atlanta Falcons. In 2022, at age 28, Gurley announced his retirement.

A Future with Optimism

Arguably, in the first four games of the season, the best player in football has been 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey currently leads the NFL in rushing yards (459) and touchdowns (6). His spectacular play may result in a boost to the running back market.

In addition to McCaffrey, there have been running backs that have performed at a high level for an extended period. Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson are some of the best examples of players who played ten-plus years in the NFL.