Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor react to running backs not signed before franchise tag deadline
Saquon Barkley, Tony Pollard and Josh Jacobs weren’t signed to long term deals before the franchise tag deadline, and top RBs are coming out to defend them.
Three of the top RBs in the league last season had a franchise tag put on them this offseason, and now will be playing this year without a long term deal after failing to come to terms with their teams. Now the running back community in the NFL has spoken out to the state of affairs when it comes to long term contract negotiations.
Top RBs stuck with franchise tags
NFL teams have become more and more hesitant to pay their star ball carriers big bucks in long term deals over recent years. While they are often the ones taking the biggest beating and some getting upwards of 25 carries a game injury is always a possibility, and it seems like that risk is not being rewarded by teams around the league.
Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard were all instrumental in their teams making it to the playoffs last season. Jacobs was the leagues leading rusher with over 1,600 yards, Barkley brought the magic back to the Big Apple and Tony Pollard turned into the featured back in Dallas after Ezequiel Elliott had a big drop off in production.
Instead of a long term deal, their teams have slapped a franchise tag on them, which keeps them around for another year without having to commit to a blockbuster deal that each of the running backs feel they deserve. Each of the rushers will now play for a franchise tag set salary of $10.091 million in the upcoming campaign, and then will be eligible for a contract extension, or will dive into the free agent market.
Taylor takes to Twitter first
One of the first players to react to the news once the deadline passed on Monday at 4 p.m. ET was Jonathan Taylor who simply tweeted “Wow” to which the New York Giants running back responded, “It is what it is.”
The Indianapolis Colt, who is in the final year of his rookie contract will be concerned for his fellow running backs while pondering if he will get the same kind of treatment once it’s time for him to negotiate with Jim Irsay and the Colts front office.
He later went to Twitter again, this time breaking down the process of being a running back in this day and age.
The King’s speech
The top running back in the NFL over the last five years, maybe even more, has been Titans rusher Derrick Henry, who didn’t hold back after hearing the news or lack there of when it came to deadline deals for the franchised players.
Henry signed a contract extension with Tennessee three summers ago, agreeing to a four year deal worth $50 million making him one of the highest paid at his position. Chrisitian McCaffery currently holds that title, making $16 million a year, and he was quick to defend the running backs who have been short changed by their teams. He retweeted Henry’s post, and then went on to attack the teams that declined to sign the franchised RBs, saying it’s criminal.
This is a growing trend in the world of football, and if it continues like this Henry may have a point. Who is going to want to take that much of a beating through high school, college and then the pros only to not be compensated by the teams they literally sacrifice their body for.