Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, and Tony Pollard are not happy campers, and neither are their fellow leaguers.
Even Christian McCaffrey, who heads the center with an annual average of $16.016 million, expressed his displeasure that the three contestants didn’t get multi-year franchise contracts before Monday’s deadline.
“This is criminal. Three of the best players in the entire league, no matter what position,” the 49ers wrote on social media.
The running backs franchise has an estimated net worth of $10.1 million for 2023.
Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, could find himself in the same spot a year from now. He tweeted a one-word statement shortly after the deadline on Tuesday.
“Wow,” Taylor wrote.
He later explained the disappointment with running as a whole, and the lack of respect they feel teams show them.
“1. If you are good enough, they will find you. 2. If you work hard enough, you will succeed. If you succeed… 3. You strengthen the organization… and then… never mind,” Taylor wrote. You are an actor.
Titans running back Derrick Henry have an annual average of $12.5 million after signing a four-year extension for $50 million in 2020. The Giants unsuccessfully tried to trade Henry this offseason.
“At this point just take the RB out of the game then. People who want to be great and work their hardest to give their all for an organization, it just seems like it doesn’t matter. I’m with every RB fighting to get what it’s worth.
Naji Harris and Austin Eckler were also among the other runners who took part in the race.
Ekeler requested a trade that season and eventually agreed to a revised contract worth $1.75 million in additional incentives. Joe Mixon got paid last week to stay with the Bengals, and Dalvin Cook remains unsigned while still looking for a better deal than he got.
