![]() ![]() The biggest thing working against these top running backs seeking paydays is the fact that this dilemma was collectively bargained by the NFLPA in conjunction with the league. Saquon Barkley and other star running backs play a position whose talent pool is deep and whose prime years are heavily cost-controlled. That’s not really a lot of money to shell out for a player who is vital to the Giants' offensive success -which is a huge part of the problem of how this tense space arrived in the first place. It's projected to cost the Giants about $23 million if they franchise tagged Barkley for two straight seasons. There isn’t a whole lot of incentive for the team to hand out a long-term deal when it has the power to keep slapping franchise tags on Barkley and putting him in this bind. Barkley spent a good chunk of 20 injured and not playing his best football before getting back to playing like a top-tier player in 2022. On the flip side, it’s easy to see why the Giants would be apprehensive toward giving Barkley the deal that he wants. It’s a completely defensible position for Barkley to want a contract that protects him financially based on his recent contributions to the team. ![]() At times, Barkley was the Giants’ best hope of producing an explosive play last season and his presence helped quarterback Daniel Jones have his best season. He was one of the key cogs in the Giants’ resurgence last season and played a major role in their wild-card victory over the Vikings, rushing for two touchdowns and totaling 109 yards on 14 touches. Of course, it’s also easy to see why these players are frustrated with their situation. Teams have realized that they can divest resources into the passing game and offensive line and still have a productive running game with a fraction of the asset costs. Quarterbacks are the focal point of the sport, which is certainly a shift from the game's origins. What has changed is how NFL teams view the position and their willingness to dip into a vast supply of running back talent over paying the top players at the position. Running backs and running the ball are still a tremendously important part of football and that isn’t going to change. When it comes to the livelihood of players taking on a disproportionate amount of punishment, emotions are going to run high. The franchise tag for running backs has dropped to $10.1 million, the top players at the position are frustrated, there are warnings to kids against playing running back, and, perhaps the most frustrating part, there isn’t really a viable solution with how the system is currently set up. The hottest NFL debate since the franchise tag deadline of July 17 remains nuclear.Īfter star running backs Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs were unable to negotiate long-term deals with their respective teams, it became tied to a larger point of contention across the league: Running back contracts are dwindling. ![]()
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