It's a balance.
Too many teams only focused on defeating the pass, so power running teams had success as teams loaded up on CBs and DEs.
The spread offenses in college lead to defenses to counter them and that doesn't typicaly lead to the development of ILBs or DTs
There was a draft with no RBs in the first round and now we'll have had 3 in a row with at least one and multiple in the first few rounds because teams realize that they need a balance.
The Saints were a substantially better team with an exceptional talent at the RB position.
The issue with this CBA for RBs is that there's no reason to ever pay an RB a second contract. You draft him in the first round, exercise the 5th year option and then Tag for two years which for RBs is about as cheap as it gets and then let them scrounge for FA deals. Most RBs aren't going to be worth that second contract after 7 years of being a franchise back. Granted, Gurley, Zeke, Fournette, Kamara... they don't look like most RBs. Still, not surprised that the Steelers aren't going long term for Bell.
Case in point. Blount has won 3 rings in 4 years and is a devastating, bruising back that has made each team he's been on that much better. And??? He's essentially a journeyman, yet his impact is measurable.
At some point, teams are going to start paying for RBs because the glut we've had over the past few years will dry up (like they do in every position) and teams without RBs will be willing to overpay, the pendulum will swing and then swing back.
We're also going to see teams working hard to NOT pay $30M+ per season for QBs under this cap because it's counterproductive to winning. Dunno when that swing happens, but it's coming.