The NFL has to do something about RB compensation

[Altestic]

Nailed it. And this gets even worse if the Patriots keep winning without an elite running back. Who would you guys say has been closest to elite level for them during this run? I'm actually curious what the consensus is.

The Steelers lose Leveon and hit something like #4 in total offense

Meanwhile. You have players like AP. He's the best running back in maybe the last 15 orn20 years, and he has no championship to show for it.

Cowboys lose Herschel Walker and become a dynasty

 

[Diehardblues]

Cowboys lose Herschel Walker and become a dynasty

Your leaving out a big chunk of the story like the exchange for eventually 18 players which made it the greatest trade and player grab in NFL history.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herschel_Walker_trade

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

[


Seattle won one Super Bowl and would have won a second if not for a horrible play call on the goal line.

so one in the past 10.....the what if doesn't matter.

so where do you want to lean and put your money on? the best running game to win superbowls or best passing games?

 

[erod]

so one in the past 10.....the what if doesn't matter.

so where do you want to lean and put your money on? the best running game to win superbowls or best passing games?

They were a hand-off inside the one yard line on first down from back-to-back championships. How obtuse can you be?

It's kind of obvious when 28 teams are pass oriented and 3-4 are run oriented that the odds are skewed.

Sheesh.

 

[Lutonio]

Cowboys lose Herschel Walker and become a dynasty

While technically true, our Boys did replace him with Emmit, so I that one is a bit of a wash.

 

[Diehardblues]

They were a hand-off inside the one yard line on first down from back-to-back championships. How obtuse can you be?

It's kind of obvious when 28 teams are pass oriented and 3-4 are run oriented that the odds are skewed.

Sheesh.

It definitely gives us some hope we can win it without an Elite QB and Prolific Passing offense but most of those teams had top defenses if not generational.

That’s our missing element. Borderline Top 10 defense probably isn’t enough with a dominant running game.

We give up too many points to not score more. The point differential is a great measuring stick for teams in the playoffs.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

They were a hand-off inside the one yard line on first down from back-to-back championships. How obtuse can you be?

It's kind of obvious when 28 teams are pass oriented and 3-4 are run oriented that the odds are skewed.

Sheesh.

obtuse?

at the end they lost...even lets say the IF happened. that would make 2 winners in 8!!! woohooo….

and there is a reason 28 teams are pass oriented...wouldn't you think!!! I mean its easier to find a RB and good blocking OL, than a QB and a good OL to pass protect and good TE and WRs.....come on who is obtuse now?

 

[DFWJC]

By negotiating I mean holding out for a new contract which Elliott might be doing or sign a new contract early like Dak is possibly doing.

So there are unconventional ways in renegotiating a Rookie contract. Not very many players would be in position obviously.

I just meant that you have to wait 3 years to begin that process. It's not even possible, NFL rules-wise, earlier than that.

 

[Diehardblues]

I just meant that you have to wait 3 years to begin that process. It's not even possible, NFL rules-wise, earlier than that.

As I suggested in an earlier post I’d be for altering the length of Rookie contracts based perhaps on their drafted round.

 

[Reid1boys]

As I suggested in an earlier post I’d be for altering the length of Rookie contracts based perhaps on their drafted round.

bottom line is the rules are in place and were agreed to by the players. Again, I am NOT giving zeke a deal wight now. But Jerry knows the tie is now, so they likely will.

 

[bsbellomy]

Pollard is a much smaller and slimmer guy than Zeke.

Darnell Henderson carried most of the load at Memphis. Pollard was the "Tavon Austin" of their team.

Henderson carried the ball 214 times. Pollard was third on the team in carries with only 78.

Smaller and slimmer? I'm pretty sure he's bigger faster and more powerful than Zeke. He'll lead the league in rushing for sure if Zeke holds out.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

No need.

Players like Zeke are not going to switch to DE in High School or College because it pays more.

Compensation is not fair.

Football players get paid more than Engineers, Military personnel, Firemen, etc..

They're also more scarce than firemen, engineers, etc.

Personally I believe in free markets and the NFL isn't one. College athletics is an abomination.

 

[charron]

Some players are overpaid, some underpaid. Life is unfair.

 

[erod]

Smaller and slimmer? I'm pretty sure he's bigger faster and more powerful than Zeke. He'll lead the league in rushing for sure if Zeke holds out.

He was Memphis' third back. He averaged 7 carries a game. Lol

 

[buybuydandavis]

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.

An interesting point. RBs really don't fit into the pay structure of the league. The league can think "too bad", but that's going to lead to hold outs and monkey business to get out from under contracts.

A RB's career really is measured in abuse more than years. Sitting out saves a year of wear and tear. It's doable.

 

[Flamma]

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 favor WRs because that's what I was growing up. But that's not the reason I couldn't give a rodent's posterior about what Zeke or any of these backs get paid. I don't care because if Zeke plays through his rookie deal including 5th year option he would have made over 35M. Same goes for Barkley but add about 5 Mil. They may be franchise tagged which would pile on millions more. If not they'll still have around 15-25 million more earning potential. It's no one's fault but Zeke's if he's not earning much in endorsements.

I highly doubt youth football players are going to switch positions because their earning potential is only around 50-60 million as an elite back. If the league cares anything about the RB position then they need to make it happen on the field, like loosen up on the pass interference calls. Or loosen up on the cap hit for resigning drafted players. Do either or both of these things, and the RB position becomes more important.

 

[MaaS]

Lol.

I agree the RB's get a tough break, but this is a stretch. Kids play RB because they get to touch the ball a lot. They aren't creating discounted cash flow models for earnings by position in their treehouse.

 

[Keithfansince5]

About 10,000,000 people in the US are capable of being engineers, military personnel, and firemen.

About 20 are capable of being an above average running back in the NFL.

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

Wow, talk about a straw man argument. You have no idea of whether this is so or not. How many kids never go to college who could play RB? Who knows? Lots of them. Tons of kids get into trouble, or never have a chance to get into a good college who could be great. Now if you want to amend your comment to of all the kids who play in college football, perhaps 20 can be that guy. Then OK that would be more plausible.

 

[Keithfansince5]

I favor WRs because that's what I was growing up. But that's not the reason I couldn't give a rodent's posterior about what Zeke or any of these backs get paid. I don't care because if Zeke plays through his rookie deal including 5th year option he would have made over 35M. Same goes for Barkley but add about 5 Mil. They may be franchise tagged which would pile on millions more. If not they'll still have around 15-25 million more earning potential. It's no one's fault but Zeke's if he's not earning much in endorsements.

I highly doubt youth football players are going to switch positions because their earning potential is only around 50-60 million as an elite back. If the league cares anything about the RB position then they need to make it happen on the field, like loosen up on the pass interference calls. Or loosen up on the cap hit for resigning drafted players. Do either or both of these things, and the RB position becomes more important.

Yeah, that poor Zeke only getting $35 mil. Must be really hard to make it with that kind of money. I feel really sorry for him...... NOT

 

[erod]

Wow, talk about a straw man argument. You have no idea of whether this is so or not. How many kids never go to college who could play RB? Who knows? Lots of them. Tons of kids get into trouble, or never have a chance to get into a good college who could be great. Now if you want to amend your comment to of all the kids who play in college football, perhaps 20 can be that guy. Then OK that would be more plausible.

Wow, what a strange argument.

Yeah, it kinda assumes that we're talking about the guys that actually are prepared to try.

Uh....