Despite the win-loss record not turning out how they hoped it would be, there were still three star players who delivered in the biggest way for the Las Vegas Raiders last season. Davante Adams and Maxx Crosby could have been predicted by most, but no one could have foreseen running back Josh Jacobs leading the NFL in rushing yards ad being named a First Team All-Pro selection.
But instead of being rewarded with a new long-term deal, Jacobs was hit with the franchise tag by the Raiders, a tender he reportedly has yet to sign, and little ground has been gained on securing a long-term contract. This, unfortunately, has been the case more often than not for running backs as more and more teams are content with moving on to new, younger players at the position as the shelf-life for running backs seemingly gets shorter.
Former NFL player Brandon Marshall recently spoke on this during a recent episode of the I Am Athlete podcast, calling for all of the top running backs, including Jacobs, to come together and boycott the NFL in order to get the higher pay they deserve. And Jacobs posted just a single emoji in response to the rant on his Twitter page:
— Josh Jacobs (@iAM_JoshJacobs) June 1, 2023
The thinking emoji would seem to indicate that Jacobs believes this move is something worth considering. And if there were any doubts, the Raiders running back would respond to a fan on Twitter who called for him to focus on his game by saying this is a conversation that needs to happen:
Nahh the conversation needs to be had mfs just scared to talk about it
— Josh Jacobs (@iAM_JoshJacobs) June 1, 2023
The running back position has undoubtedly been devalued over the past few seasons. In terms of average salary per year, running backs are among the lowest-paid positions in the entire league. The top players at most other positions make upwards of $20 million per year and sometimes much higher. But the highest-paid running back, San Francisco’s Christian McCaffery, sits at just over $16 million.
The belief that running backs break down after a certain age has led to many teams refusing to give massive contracts to even the top players at the position and most operate with a committee approach. But the pounding that running backs take throughout their careers takes a huge toll on their bodies, and they feel they should be better compensated for it, while teams are content to move on to younger, cheaper options at the position.
Jacobs clearly believes he and others at the position deserve more respect and Marshall could be right in that if the top players all come together, it could enact some change.
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