The NFL has to do something about RB compensation

[QuincyCarterEra]

Not really.

Top 2 rushing teams in the NFL the past 5 years: Dallas and Seattle

Most wins in the NFL the past 5 years: Dallas and Seattle

If not for a dumb goal line playcall, Seattle would have been a mini-dynasty.

It seems you still haven't caught on, but when you are winning games you run the ball.

Also this is completely fabricated.

Cowboys- 48 wins
Hawks- 51 wins
Pats- 62 wins

 

[dsturgeon]

I'm not talking about lots of running backs.

I'm talking about elite running backs, especially those drafted in the top few picks that will immediately start and be a huge percentage of their team's offense.

Then the only way to accomplish what you are saying is end of the year incentives. There are rb's that are supposed to be the top few that bust.

Do you pay the ones that are on bad teams that cause them to be shut down, or are not utilized correctly and don't put up the numbers.

Demarco Murray was the rushing champ for us, and then he busted with the eagles.

 

[Little Jr]

Compensation is reflected by the ability to produce more money than you make and how difficult it is to replace you.

True. And teams are showing how they feel about their production and how easy/difficult it is to replace them. The league is changing.

 

[AmericanCowboy]

Cant pay them more because the fact of the matter is there are many players who are a notch below the elite.

A good system can make a running back.

See Arian Foster, Steve Slaton, the Chiefs running back from last year (Damien Williams).

Lots of guys have natural running ability and just need a chance- like James Connor.

I love Zeke, think he is the best RB in the league. He is an Elite RB.

But there isn’t NEARLY as big a drop off as compared to every other position.

 

[Little Jr]

Then why do backup quarterbacks often make more than 80 percent of the starters on their teams?

The NFL isn't telling teams or making rules that back up qbs are making more than others like you are suggesting they do for rbs. Plus back up qbs making what they do should tell you that the league is changing.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

I'm not talking about lots of running backs.

I'm talking about elite running backs, especially those drafted in the top few picks that will immediately start and be a huge percentage of their team's offense.

The running backs picked with the top few picks already get paid handsomely.

Zeke signed a $24M contract with a $10M 5th year option.

Barkley signed a $31M option with what is likely to be a $13M 5th year option

You are trying to help out the RBs who are already wealthy.

 

[Haimerej]

Get rid of the salary cap. Problem solved.

 

[Altestic]

Not really.

Top 2 rushing teams in the NFL the past 5 years: Dallas and Seattle

Most wins in the NFL the past 5 years: Dallas and Seattle

If not for a dumb goal line playcall, Seattle would have been a mini-dynasty.

Richard Sherman might still be around but, Chancellor still would be forced into retirement, and who knows whether Earl Thomas would have stayed or not. But there was no getting around the fact that the "LOB" was an aging, injury prone unit that was going to deteriorate sooner than later.

 

[JD_KaPow]

FO build teams the way they see fit. The NFL can't come in and tell them how to build a team and who to give the money to. They can't show favoritism to one position.

But the NFL does do that. They tell teams to give money to veterans. The draft, the rookie contract structure and the salary floor all require that the lion's share of the money goes to veterans. So players at positions that peak early and decline fast (like

Not really.

Top 2 rushing teams in the NFL the past 5 years: Dallas and Seattle

Most wins in the NFL the past 5 years: Dallas and Seattle

If not for a dumb goal line playcall, Seattle would have been a mini-dynasty.

NFC, not NFL. KC, PIT and NE have all won more games with fewer rushing yards. Also, Buffalo is right behind Dallas in rushing yards. Overall, the correlation of passing yards to wins is much higher than for rushing yards.

 

[JJHLH1]

The market will decide the value of running backs. It doesn’t get any fairer than that.

 

[Diehardblues]

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.

Good points..

One thing you didn’t mention is how RB aren’t being taken as much in 1st round which impacts these Rookie contracts. The drop off from Rookie contracts after 1st round is pronounced. Compare Zeke to Daks contract for example.

 

[Diehardblues]

But the NFL does do that. They tell teams to give money to veterans. The draft, the rookie contract structure and the salary floor all require that the lion's share of the money goes to veterans. So players at positions that peak early and decline fast (like
NFC, not NFL. KC, PIT and NE have all won more games with fewer rushing yards. Also, Buffalo is right behind Dallas in rushing yards. Overall, the correlation of passing yards to wins is much higher than for rushing yards.

Yea

I like Erods thought here about RB but I’m was questioning the correlation to success he was peddling with Seattle and Dallas. I’m not a stat hound but it appeared to be using a stat to support a narrative. Id guess the passing overall would probably be more connected to more teams success.

The fact we were one of those teams is a good example last 5 years since we haven’t had the level of success as Seattle( regular season wins isn’t how I’d necessarily count success).

 

[Little Jr]

But the NFL does do that. They tell teams to give money to veterans. The draft, the rookie contract structure and the salary floor all require that the lion's share of the money goes to veterans. So players at positions that peak early and decline fast (like
NFC, not NFL. KC, PIT and NE have all won more games with fewer rushing yards. Also, Buffalo is right behind Dallas in rushing yards. Overall, the correlation of passing yards to wins is much higher than for rushing yards.

The nfl doesn't tell them to pay vets. Lol the NFL rookie cap was put into the cba and agreed to by the players. Its not one postion they favor. The nfl don't dictate the amount of money to individual positions. If they did it for 1 position it would open up a can of ****.

 

[HungryLion]

The nfl doesn't tell them to pay vets. Lol the NFL rookie cap was put into the cba and agreed to by the players. Its not one postion they favor. The nfl don't dictate the amount of money to individual positions. If they did it for 1 position it would open up a can of ****.

You’re discounting the fact that “the players” who agreed to the rookie structure were all players already in the league. Kids in college and high school right now never agreed to it.

The rookie contracts screw players who produce at a high level while they are stuck in their contract and can’t renegotiate for 3 years

 

[ChuckA1]

You’re discounting the fact that “the players” who agreed to the rookie structure were all players already in the league. Kids in college and high school right now never agreed to it.

The rookie contracts screw players who produce at a high level while they are stuck in their contract and can’t renegotiate for 3 years

Sounds normal, kinda like having a job to me. Most people only dream about making what these guys make.

 

[DCwarrior]

The NFLPA agreed to this format. It is up to them to change it in the next CBA. The question is what will they have to give up to make such a change and how will the vets react to it.?

 

[HungryLion]

Sounds normal, kinda like having a job to me. Most people only dream about making what these guys make.

The tired “they make more than the average person” line again? That argument is old and stale as can be.

Most jobs don’t prevent top performers from
Renegotiating their salary for 3 years either.

 

[ChuckA1]

The tired “they make more than the average person” line again? That argument is old and stale as can be.

Amigo, if you lose the fans, you lose war. Your "pay them what they're worth, no matter the consequences" is pretty short sighted.

 

[HungryLion]

Amigo, if you lose the fans, you lose war. Your "pay them what they're worth, no matter the consequences" is pretty short sighted.

1. Players wanting a bigger piece of the pie hasn’t lost the nfl any fans.

2. Where did I once say “no matter the consequences”. Nowhere did I say that or even infer it.

 

[beware_d-ware]

More generally, I think the rookie contract system needs to be revamped. As it is, stud players on rookie deals at all positions are grossly underpaid. Dak has played like a $25M QB for $600K a season. Chris Jones of the Chiefs is a second round pick who just put up 15 sacks for $1M in salary. What does his market value look like?

IMO, rookie deals should come with built in escalators - if you're a Day 3 guy and play 80% of the snaps, your salary could go up 5x, if you make a Pro Bowl, it can go up to the average of the top 10 players at your position, etc. Rookie contract dollars versus rookie contract production is the single biggest arbitrage opportunity in the NFL, and it's not fair to the players IMO. Paying #1 picks $50M guaranteed before they ever stepped on a field was a system that needed to go, but paying Russell Wilson $700K as a Super Bowl winning QB isn't fair either.