Chargers running back Austin Ekeler saw the writing on the wall. As he watched some of the best at his position contemplate their options under a franchise tag, he knew he could be dealing with the same issues next offseason.
He made an attempt to remedy the situation but ended up finding out just how dire his prospects were. Now, with none of the league’s rushers finding an effective solution in their own negotiations, it appears they’ve decided to put their heads together in an attempt to get the contracts they deserve.
It started on Monday, when, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, some of the league’s veteran rushers organized a group text in which they would brainstorm strategies for improving their grim outlooks. One of the first initial strategies has been the utilization of social media.
While, on its surface, that sounds superficial and unproductive, it’s really hard to fix a problem if no one acknowledges it. When players go on social media to talk about their issues with the system, especially during a relatively down news cycle, media pundits will pick up their calls and magnify them.
Not only that, but it also sparks debate between the analysts of the sport, who tend to present and argue both sides, helping to delineate the most useful points of contention and possible solutions.
To grow their efforts past a group text, the running backs have also planned a Zoom meeting, set for Saturday, in order to further discussions, according to Florio. The meeting has been organized by Ekeler and will reportedly involve the NFL Players Association in some capacity.
It’s a little difficult for the NFLPA to advise too much, considering that, in a league where value is determined within a salary cap that all positions share, the money to pay running backs has to be taken away from other positions that are also being represented by the Players Association.
That being said, they can still likely offer some sound negotiating techniques and potential solutions. They can also potentially serve as a sounding board to offer opinions on the viability of different options.
Ultimately, the group will likely have to continue to take the situation into their own hands, as they’re negotiating only for themselves. They may suggest a shortening of the path to free agency to keep running backs from spending their premier years on a measly rookie deal.
Former NFLPA president Domonique Foxworth suggested a more concentrated utilization of the league’s Performance-Based Pay Pool, an approximately $336M fund used to reward players whose high-levels of play are not reflected in their paychecks. Foxworth suggested that, essentially, running backs could pad their depressed contracts by meeting certain performance and playing time benchmarks.
Regardless, the group and the league have at most a year before the situation rears its ugly head again. The three backs that are playing on franchise tags this year, Saquon Barkley on the Giants, Josh Jacobs on the Raiders, and Tony Pollard on the Cowboys, will all head back to free agency after this season.
So, too, will the Titans’ Derrick Henry, the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor, the Ravens’ J.K. Dobbins, the Commanders’ Antonio Gibson, Ekeler, and many others.
With so many major contributors set to hit the market, a determination will soon have to be made on how to compensate these rushers for what they bring to their respective teams.
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