Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey, Jonathan Taylor, Austin Ekeler sound off on absence of RB extensions: 'Criminal'

[kurtfaulk]

Christian McCaffrey, other running backs sound off on absence of RB extensions: 'Criminal'

The NFL's top running backs are showing solidarity in the face of a league that continues to devalue the position.

sports.yahoo.com

Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey, Jonathan Taylor, Austin Ekeler sound off on absence of RB extensions: 'Criminal'​

Jason Owens
Staff writer
Tue, Jul 18, 2023, 9:28 AM GMT+10·5 min read


"It sucks to be a running back," putting it very bluntly.


Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs will play this NFL season on the franchise tag. Or they won't.

Those are the only two options.

After the passage of a Monday deadline, neither is eligible to sign a long-term deal this offseason following months of failed negotiations. How they proceed is now up to them. Holding out for training camp, the start of the season or beyond is an option for both players. It's an option Le'Veon Bell maximized in 2018 under similar circumstances that marked the end of his tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Neither has signed their franchise tender.

Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard, meanwhile, has decided to sign his franchise tender and is expected to play this season without an extension.

For NFL running backs, the absence of extensions for two of the best at the position further signals a stark reality in a league that continues to devalue them and increasingly declines to make long-term investments in the position. Some of the league's best backs took notice of the news.

(R-L) Derrick Henry has Saquon Barkley's back. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

They also took notice of ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller, who tweeted about the perceived disposability of running backs amid Monday's news. They sounded off.
Tennessee Titans running back and two-time NFL rushing champion Derrick Henry had this to say:


View: https://twitter.com/KingHenry_2/status/1681062636828389376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1681062636828389376%7Ctwgr%5Ef72f75acffad304b0fc1f291798bc30a359d0c02%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsports.yahoo.com%2Fderrick-henry-christian-mccaffrey-jonathan-taylor-austin-ekeler-sound-off-on-absence-of-rb-extensions-criminal-232801037.html

"At this point, just take the RB position out the game then," Henry wrote on Twitter. "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."

Fortunately for Henry, he's not facing the same circumstances as Jacobs and Barkley. He's approaching the final year of a four-year, $50 million extension to his rookie contract and was awarded a $2 million pay bump last offseason. He got his big payday. But he'll be fighting for another one soon.

Three-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has also secured his payday as he approaches the second year of a four-year, $64 million contract. Like Henry, he stood in solidarity with his fellow running backs, calling the lack of long-term deals by Monday's deadline "criminal."


View: https://twitter.com/CMC_22/status/1681066959230607366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1681066959230607366%7Ctwgr%5Ef72f75acffad304b0fc1f291798bc30a359d0c02%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsports.yahoo.com%2Fderrick-henry-christian-mccaffrey-jonathan-taylor-austin-ekeler-sound-off-on-absence-of-rb-extensions-criminal-232801037.html


"This is Criminal. Three of the best PLAYERS in the entire league, regardless of position," McCaffrey wrote of Barkley, Jacobs and Pollard.

Austin Ekeler is playing on considerably less lucrative 4-year, $24.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers. He requested a trade this offseason in search of a new deal, but is remaining with the Chargers after negotiating an incentive boost. Like Henry, he pronounced his support for his fellow running backs while calling Miller's take on the position's disposability "trash."


View: https://twitter.com/AustinEkeler/status/1681065124772352001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1681065124772352001%7Ctwgr%5Ef72f75acffad304b0fc1f291798bc30a359d0c02%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsports.yahoo.com%2Fderrick-henry-christian-mccaffrey-jonathan-taylor-austin-ekeler-sound-off-on-absence-of-rb-extensions-criminal-232801037.html

"This is the kind of trash that has artificially devalued one of the most important positions in the game," Ekeler wrote. "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."

Without a new deal of his own, Indianapolis Colts running back and 2021 NFL rushing champion Jonathan Taylor will be in a similar position as Jacobs and Barkley next offseason. He's approaching the final year of his four-year, $7.8 million rookie contract. He could very well face the prospect of playing the 2024 season under the franchise tag if he and the Colts don't come to terms.

He was among the first to respond to the news Monday that Jacobs and Barkley didn't get new deals. He was succinct in his response.


View: https://twitter.com/JayT23/status/1681032905844293633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1681032905844293633%7Ctwgr%5Ef72f75acffad304b0fc1f291798bc30a359d0c02%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsports.yahoo.com%2Fderrick-henry-christian-mccaffrey-jonathan-taylor-austin-ekeler-sound-off-on-absence-of-rb-extensions-criminal-232801037.html


Later, he saw the same tweet from Miller that prompted responses from Henry and Ekeler. He responded in kind.


View: https://twitter.com/JayT23/status/1681068459877187584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1681068459877187584%7Ctwgr%5Ef72f75acffad304b0fc1f291798bc30a359d0c02%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsports.yahoo.com%2Fderrick-henry-christian-mccaffrey-jonathan-taylor-austin-ekeler-sound-off-on-absence-of-rb-extensions-criminal-232801037.html

"1. If you’re good enough, they’ll find you," Taylor wrote.

"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"

NFL running backs are in a position like they've never been before. Now, they're showing solidarity. How Jacobs and Barkley approach the upcoming season without new deals will be of great interest to all involved parties.

.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

fuck these teams man. we're not talking about maybes here, these are premier players of the league. and these fucking teams are screwing them. more teams on my shit list. although i already hated these three teams as it was. just more hate.

that's why i love the rams so much. they reward players who reward the team. i don't care that sometimes it backfires as these players deserved every penny. they don't try to screw them like these DNA rifle teams do. the stealers the worst of the lot.

.

 

[OldSchool]

As a fan who pays their salaries even indirectly I'm sorry that they feel us fans are cheating them out of our money. But couldn't give a shit! The game is changing and they're position is being deemphasized on the pay scale. We weren't doing this 30 years ago with WR's who didn't get paid unless like the RB's above now you were the exception to the rule.

 

[kurtfaulk]

I'm sorry that they feel us fans are cheating them out of our money.

where did they say that?

.

 

[I like Rams]

You can thank the Gurley and Bell contracts for this, IMO.

 

[So Ram]

ED29 got screwed,but there was a time in the LBC I lost respect for him.Only to try to figure what happened out.
As time goes by you find out about Race & Hate.Makes one to think about feelings & what people maybe thinking if that were them.Then looking at the why?
There was a time with N.W.A. we’re big as an example of ED28’s time with The Rams.Signal Hill & Ron Settles was always a thing.
Dennis Harrah & Ledgens in the shore.Coke was a thing & Showtime.
—Point being players made their money early & Rb’s always had only a 5 year shelve life.Georgia was cheap & that’s when The NINER’s took over So Cal.
-Al Davis what he did to MARCUS ALLEN was criminal.To think you’d sit out a player just cuss?

San Diego with Gates cost them a Superbowl imo.Tomlinson did get paid,but ????

Cam Akers is in a contract year & I want The Rams to sign him to a NICE CONTRACT!!! He’s only 23 & going to be a Top 10 RB.His numbers might be Todd Gurley like & saw what that contract did The Rams.

BELL (Gurley)will always be the example of why a RB shouldn’t get paid STUPID money.To each his own.

 

[AvengerRam]

Criminal?

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

You can thank the Gurley and Bell contracts for this, IMO.

Gurley was worth it; he just didn’t stay healthy.

 

[Psycho_X]

Yeah like I said in the free agents thread I get the frustration by these players. I still think it's worth giving second contracts to premiere backs though. If I was a GM and knew I had a back like Jacobs I'd plan on paying them a front loaded contract to keep them around 2-3 years after their rookie deal and hope for longer. Problem is most GMs don't get to keep their jobs long enough to plan such a thing so most play scared when it comes to risk/reward. And the other GMs draft well enough or have coaches/QBs good enough that the RB position doesn't matter... see Chiefs.

 

[AvengerRam]

In 2020, McCaffrey signed a contract with the Panthers that made him the highest paid RB in the league. He proceeded to play a total 10 games over the next two seasons before being traded in 2022.

Yeah... its a huge mystery why teams are reluctant to pay RBs.

 

[Selassie I]

None of these 3 RBs have a history of being injury free...

Barkley has had serious knee injuries/surgeries.

Pollard just had Tight-Rope surgery on his ankle.

Jacobs played his 1st full season without missing games last year. He did have a hip injury in week 17 though, but he came back into the game later.

Of course their teams are going to weigh the pluses and minuses. Analytics today are leaned on more than ever before for a reason.

The players agreed to the franchise tag in the latest CBA. I doubt they decide to vote it out the next time around either.

 

[I like Rams]

Gurley was worth it; he just didn’t stay healthy.

I agree with you bc I'm a huge Gurley fan, but logically and financially speaking, it didn't pay off for us. He fell off at the worst time, our playoff run to the super bowl in 2018. You pay those type of contracts for players to help you win in those types of situations. Gurley did not.

 

[RamsSince1969]

It could be much worse. Try getting paid being a running back on the Bears!

 

[Dodgersrf]

Getting paid your worth isn't criminal.
Your worth is determined, by what teams are willing to pay.

Now, $18 beers should be a crime.

 

[AZRams]

Real-world economics unfolding right before our eyes. All the years of college between them all and apparently none of them spent even as much as a semester in Price Theory or Theory of the Firm...

 

[Merlin]

Maybe RBs will start learning something in their degree programs now.

 

[AvengerRam]

Maybe RBs will start learning something in their degree programs now.

10:00 Social Media 101
11:30 Advanced Victimhood in Western Society
2:00 Remedial Economics
4:30 Introduction to Entitlement

 

[Memento]

I really don't blame running backs for trying to get all they can. It's a brutal sport for them, as they're constantly getting hit, and it shows later in life; Marshall Faulk still doesn't walk right.

I cannot blame them for their frustration with the business.

 

[Jacobarch]

boo fucking hoo.

 

[AvengerRam]

I really don't blame running backs for trying to get all they can. It's a brutal sport for them, as they're constantly getting hit, and it shows later in life; Marshall Faulk still doesn't walk right.

I cannot blame them for their frustration with the business.

That's the point. Both sides have their interests, and nobody should blame either for utilizing their leverage. If both sides are able to do so freely (which is essentially, the case, apart from the franchise tag, which arguably skews things), nobody really has cause to complain about the outcome.

That's not to say that teams are correctly pricing the market. A team like the Giants, for example, may be underestimating Barkley's overall value. Teams read the market incorrectly, just as players do.