The value on NFL running backs has dramatically shifted, and the league offered a reminder of that notion Monday.
The deadline for franchise-tagged players to agree to long-term deals has come and gone as NFL teams move closer to the start of training camp. This benchmark proved to be a very telling day for the running back community, in particular, as Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard all failed to land new contracts from the New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys, respectively.
After the deadline passed, a handful of star backs hopped on Twitter and vouched for their colleagues who will enter the 2023 season without long-term security.
Pollard already signed his franchise tender, so he’s expected to be at Cowboys training camp when it opens July 26. The same can’t be said for Barkley and Jacobs, who reportedly will not report to their respective training camps and cannot be fined for those expected absences since they’re unsigned.
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It remains to be seen how long Barkley and Jacobs will extend their holdouts. Both players might turn to Le’Veon Bell as a cautionary tale, as the three-time Pro Bowl selection was never the same player after sitting out the entire 2018 season.
Featured image via Tom Horak/USA TODAY Sports Images
