The working again contract panorama has lastly hit a breaking level.
With the NFL’s deadline for reaching a long-term contract with gamers on the franchise tag passing with out offers for standouts Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley and Tony Pollard, many RBs have spoken out in opposition to the unfair deterioration of worth on the place.
The RBs deserve extra. Can’t consider it’s even a subject.
— Raheem Mostert (@RMos_8Ball) July 18, 2023
1. If you happen to’re adequate, they’ll discover you.
2. If you happen to work onerous sufficient, you’ll succeed.
…If you happen to succeed…
3. You increase the Group
…after which…
Doesn’t matter, you’re a RB https://t.co/mG6In1ATGg
— Jonathan Taylor (@JayT23) July 17, 2023
At this level , simply take the RB place out the sport then . Those that need to be nice & work as onerous as they will to provide their all to a company , simply looks like it don’t even matter . I’m with each RB that’s preventing to get what they deserve . https://t.co/OgvBWZCKvn
— Derrick Henry (@KingHenry_2) July 17, 2023
In the meantime, numbers and information get thrown out to argue that paying a RB is the worst factor you are able to do in team-building. There’s an concept that working backs are extra replaceable than different positions, each due to the wear-and-tear on their our bodies, and since working the ball is a much less environment friendly type of offense in contrast throwing it downfield.
The query is, what has pushed the lack of worth in working backs, and when, if ever, will it return?
Earlier this offseason, I wrote about how NFL RBs have misplaced energy on the negotiating desk, regardless of the NFL seeming to development again in the direction of heavier personnel on the sector. The run sport might probably be returning, however backs received’t see the fruits of their labor of their contracts. RB worth isn’t a uniform factor throughout each entrance workplace: some groups worth having a prime flight again greater than others, therefore why two working backs had been drafted within the first spherical on this years’ NFL Draft. Now what occurs to these backs over the span of their profession is a unique story.
It’s in all probability a crude reply, however the cause why is easy: capitalism. In a cap-controlled league run by particular person non-public companies, everybody needs to win whereas staying away from the constraints that include paying good labor. Sadly, that comes at the price of RBs, who see probably the most contact of any non-lineman place within the sport. Their peaks normally final in the course of the years of their profession after they’re managed by one group on a rookie deal. Once they hit the open market, it’s normally after having extra tread on their our bodies from the group that they performed for.
There are just a few potential options to this drawback on the negotiating desk for working backs, however all of them are centered across the system of the NFL and altering that for good. The issue there may be this: the brand new CBA runs by means of 2030, based on CBS Sports activities, and a brand new CBA won’t have these options in them particularly for one place solely.
Nevertheless, that is my theme park of creativeness and I get to decide on the principles right here. So let’s see what we are able to do:
Thought 1: Do away with the NFL Draft
The main problem for RBs in terms of negotiations is that based on statistics, their worth deteriorates at a faster tempo than some other place within the sport. I imply, it makes a little bit of sense when you think about what number of instances the backs are slamming into individuals 50 to 100 kilos heavier than them, the physique can’t maintain up like that. So, an answer to this drawback may very well be to get rid of the draft, the place groups get to regulate the participant’s future for 4 to 5 years.
On this state of affairs, gamers leaving faculty would instantly develop into free brokers, and get to decide on the place they go and negotiate their very own contracts with out fifth 12 months choices. On this case, backs wouldn’t be on a cost-controlled contract and will see extra assured cash with out the belief of wear and tear and tear on their our bodies previous their athletic primes.
Thought 2: No wage cap
So this one would in all probability include probably the most drawbacks, as a result of it might simply imply extra outlandish contracts given to gamers like Daniel Jones. Nevertheless, with out the wage cap, groups wouldn’t be as inclined to work in opposition to a tough cap quantity. Within the MLB, groups don’t have a wage cap, however the NFL might implement a wage flooring to stop tanking and make this work within the NFL.
There’s a luxurious tax threshold within the MLB, which is meant to stop groups from going over that quantity. If groups do go over, the cash that will get spent over that threshold will get divided many various methods. With no onerous cap within the NFL, groups could be free to spend as a lot cash as they need, and backs might find yourself seeing their worth on the negotiation desk rise.
In the long run, any answer that comes up might find yourself being a minor repair, except the NFL needs to dramatically change their wage cap and funds to boost RB worth. Which, once more, could not occur till 2030.
