Full disclosure, I'm a running back guy. Love the running game. Emmitt is my favorite Cowboy of all time. Most of my all-time favorite football players are running backs.
That said, the NFL has to do something for these guys contractually. The system is WAY unfair for them.
Most draft picks that become great players take a good while to get there, often 2-3 years or more at the pro level. Then, they're rewarded with a HUGE contract after their rookie deal, and often another huge contract or two after after that one.
But not running backs.
Highly-drafted running backs are generally elite the moment they arrive at rookie OTAs. They're already about as good as they'll ever be, and they step right in and dominate from day one.
Gurley, Peterson, Sanders, Gore, George, Emmitt, Barkley, Zeke, McCoy, Andrews, Dickerson, McCutcheon, Campbell, Sims, Payton, and Dorsett (when Landry finally got over himself and put Tony in for good). There are hundreds of examples of them.
And now Zeke Elliott, who, off-field issues aside, is the most impactful player on the team and has been since his opening game. He's usually the best player on the field in any given game.
The league needs to address the fact that rookie running backs are WAY underpaid compared to the impact other players have initially, and the second contract potential those players have in comparison to running backs.
Often, these backs are a huge percentage of their teams offense, but take such a beating early that they go downhill quickly and never get paid like other players. They're the cheap help, although they are ultra critical to team success.
That needs to change because I don't want to see the best young running backs youth football insist on being converted to other positions over earning potential. Used to be that the best players wanted to play running back. Now, it's like financial death sentence.
Perhaps some sort of cap exception to pay them better? A different rookie scale for running backs to go with it? It's got to be simple to address.
Save the position. Pay these guys.
I like your sentiment, but it just does not match modern football. In the early 2000's teams figured out that it's more efficient, better for offenses to pass the ball. You score more and you are more successful if you pass the football.
It's a QB driven league no matter how you slice it. Yes there is still a place for Zeke, Gurley, Barkley,etc, but the RB position is more replaceable than ever. I would recommend a recent really good podcast, The Ringer NFL show, they cover this issue very clearly. They talk about the nostalgia of the position. They talk about how running is less efficient than passing. Nowdays teams derive value from the RB position by having RB's than are also great receivers.
Melvin Gordon example..... Gordon is a great RB for the new NFL, but last year when he was injured his replacement was just as effective, if not more so. They talked about Hunt when he got cut by the Chiefs, Spencer Ware & Williams were more efficient pass catchers. ( smaller sample size, but a valid point).
Just look around the league, smart teams don't overpay for a commodity type position. I love Zeke, but the problem started when we drafted him. I hate drafting players in the top 5 who I would not want to give a second contract. I would much rather give a second contract to almost every other postion, QB,DE, OT, WR, OG, LB, CB, Safety then lastly a RB.
When its time to re sign Zeke, I would prefer to save money and sign or draft a
Carson, Alvin Kamara, Aaron Jones, Connor,Jordan Howard, Phillip Lindsay, Marlon Mack, Tevin Coleman, Devonta Freeman, etc, etc, etc.. The list goes on and on,,,