PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III has the boldest suggestion yet, for the entire league to back the running backs and strike. Show that running backs, and all other players, are getting hosed by teams controlling their rights for the first five years with the franchise tag option for a sixth and potentially seventh season.
A number of players including Bills superstar QB Josh Allen favored the suggestion. Unlikely they would act on it. A strike would mean no money for any of the players and the CBA runs until 2030. Not sure that everyone feels as disrespected as a few of the running backs who feel they deserve more.
The face of the movement is Saquon Barkley, who will make just over $10 million if he signs the franchise tender. The 2018 second-overall selection out of Penn State says he might sit out the season like Le’Veon Bell did. Barkley is coming off a career-high 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns. In five seasons, 4,249 yards and 29 touchdowns with nearly an entire season lost to injury. He was reportedly offered around $14 million a year, but wants more.
Bell held out after the Steelers offered five-years, $70 million. He ended up with nearly that per year with the Jets, four-years, $52.5 million, would never see all of it and on the field ended up in a worse situation. He would try again with the Chiefs and Ravens but he was done. If Barkley held out and then became a free agent, would it end up much better? Dalvin Cook can’t find a team as a free agent after had 10 touchdowns and 1,173 yards last year, has four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with 46 total touchdowns.
Running backs think they are still the bomb in the league, like an NBA center who plays with his back to the basket might. It just isn’t true. Gone are the days of the running backs as primary stars in the NFL. The larger-than-life Jim Brown, Franco Harris, Walter Payton, Eric Dickerson, Earl Campbell, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith. Now running backs make less than kickers on average, barely more than fullbacks.
Is this really a surprise to them? For years the NFL has moved towards a passing league. Rushing just doesn’t get the results of the effective pass game. The Bears led the NFL in rushing last year and won THREE games. The Falcons were third in rushing and won seven games. The Browns were second in the AFC in rushing but finished in last place in the AFC North.
Meanwhile of the Final 4 teams last year, the Chiefs (1st), Bengals (6th) and Eagles (8th) were top 10 in passing yards and San Francisco may have been if not saddled with a third string QB for five games due to injury.
Steelers Najee Harris has backed Barkley and others who are making a stink about payment for running backs. Harris tweeted the following:
“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 through walls for our team and lead in many ways- this notion that we deserve less is a joke.”
Titans All-Pro Derrick Henry, the closest player in the league to the old-school tailback a team built around, said ‘at this point, just take the RB position out of the game’. His issue is no matter how hard running backs work, it doesn’t matter. He said he’s with every running back fighting to get what they deserve.
Christian McCaffrey called it ‘criminal’. Austin Ekeler called it ‘trash’ and said ‘everyone knows it’s tough to win without a top RB and yet they act like we are discardable widgets’.
Ezekiel Elliott and Todd Gurley were among those released from big-money contracts. Miles Sanders, who recently turned 26 and rushed for 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns for the NFC Champion Eagles, could only get four-years, $25.4 million with Carolina.
“The position is an art to me,” Harris said. “I will always love the position. They can do so much. It’s like a queen in chess because you can do a lot of things-lineup out wide, run the ball, protection. Can be an impact in the offense so much. For them to say it’s a position without value is kinda crazy.”
It’s not that teams are saying the running game isn’t important. It’s just not important to have a lead dog. It’s being done by committee which limits wear-and-tear, provides options due to injury and keeps owners from spending a lot on one player.
No position in the sport has a shorter career lifespan than running back. Harris said he is doing what he can physically to make sure he can play as long as possible. He uses the example set by NBA legend LeBron James who spends millions on keeping his body right.
“You can’t stop time,” Harris admits. “I can’t do anything about that. All I can do is take care of my body and show them that I’m still available. The best ability is availability.”
Harris is in the prime of his career, would he go to the point of striking? What if the Steelers don’t pick up his fifth-year option after this season? He might eventually find himself in Barkley’s situation. How will he react?
It’s not that owners don’t respect the hard work from those players, it’s just not a big-money spot in the league any more.