Breaking down the largest working again offers of NFL free company

A yr after NFL working backs made headlines for a Zoom name throughout which they commiserated about their place being undervalued, they’re making information for what number of modified groups and landed new contracts.

There are seven former Professional Bowl working backs headed to new groups this yr, which is probably the most in any offseason in NFL historical past, in accordance with ESPN Stats & Data.

A few of the gamers who had been on that decision, together with Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs and Austin Ekeler, signed multi-year offers with new groups. However as ESPN NFL reporter Jeff Darlington factors out, new contracts do not at all times replicate profitable negotiations.

Is there a brand new outlook on the worth of working backs? Which one landed the most effective deal? Which was the largest shock? And what are the draft ramifications?

ESPN’s panel of Darlington, Matt Bowen, Dan Graziano, Kimberley A. Martin, Jordan Reid and Seth Walder solutions probably the most urgent questions concerning the working again place per week into free company.

Has the primary week of free company signaled a brand new outlook on the worth of working backs?

Darlington: Final August, two NFL basic managers (each squarely in the course of final offseason’s working again drama) made clear they anticipated no vital uptick within the valuation of the place in 2024. They pointed towards a saturated market of obtainable backs — and a league that will nonetheless fairly have youthful choices on rookie offers.

Whether or not you notice it or not, whilst gamers like Barkley and Jacobs get their coveted long-term offers, these basic managers had been precisely proper. The worth of the working again stays because it was final offseason: Diminished.

No one is coming near Christian McCaffrey’s $16m common per yr — even because the wage cap skyrocketed to $255.4 million. Whereas everybody else is getting paid extra, the working backs’ raises stay disproportionately much less.

The tough actuality is evident: Prime-tier working backs nonetheless have a spot on this league. However basic managers would fairly run a rookie into the bottom and discover one other one when it is time to pay him. That is not going to vary anytime quickly.

Which deal stunned you probably the most?

Martin: The Philadelphia Eagles signing Barkley. I want I may have been a fly on the wall in New York Giants proprietor John Mara’s workplace. Not solely did the Eagles improve their speeding assault in a serious manner, however they weakened their division rival within the course of.

It does not shock me that Eagles basic supervisor Howie Roseman can be aggressive in free company. It is simply jarring to consider Barkley — the face of the Giants franchise for therefore a few years — rocking inexperienced on NFL Sundays, particularly contemplating Barkley’s want to be a Big for all times. Mara had hoped for a similar final result, however cash talks.

Giants basic supervisor Joe Schoen made it clear he wasn’t going to pay premium cash to Barkley. Roseman, nonetheless, was. And now, the all-in Eagles are primed to have one of many hardest offenses to include, that includes a home-run menace in each the run and go recreation.

Which RB obtained the most effective deal relative to his worth?

Graziano: Barkley, and it isn’t even shut.

Any time a non-quarterback will get assured cash within the third yr of a deal, it is a large win, and $1.5 million of Barkley’s $12 million 2026 wage is assured at signing. Even when the Eagles reduce him after two years (which is feasible with any of those offers), he’ll have made $26 million. If he performs out the third yr, he’ll have made $37 million.

It was a house run deal for Saquon. In contrast, Jacobs’ Packers deal comes with solely $12.5 million assured at signing, and the Packers may launch Jacobs after one yr having paid him $14.8 million.

The Eagles actually stretched to land Barkley, who turns into the main beneficiary of Philly’s win-now desperation.

Which crew upgraded its RB place most?

Bowen: Including Barkley elevates the Eagles’ working again room, and your complete Philadelphia offense, below new coordinator Kellen Moore.

With Barkley’s explosive, dual-threat traits, he will likely be deployed as a three-down again, dealing with run-game quantity behind a premier offensive entrance whereas creating outlined matchups as a receiver for quarterback Jalen Hurts.

In six professional seasons, Barkley has averaged 98.8 scrimmage yards per recreation, whereas logging a complete of 288 receptions and 47 touchdowns. He is a difference-maker who can change the offensive profile of the Eagles this season.

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McAfee: Tony Pollard good for tradition of Titans

Pat McAfee and his crew talk about Tony Pollard becoming a member of the Tennessee Titans from the Dallas Cowboys.

Which crew most must make one other RB transfer?

Walder: The Dallas Cowboys. Proper now they’re rolling with the largely unproven group of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis and Snoop Conner. However as a working again skeptic, after I say a “transfer,” I imply: Draft one within the sixth spherical and financial institution on both him or somebody from the incumbent group rising — after which appear like a genius once they pop for 1,000 yards.

Dallas has been proper to not spend cash retaining or changing Tony Pollard, who signed a three-year cope with the Tennessee Titans. In the event that they wish to add a really low-cost veteran as an alternative, that will be positive, too.

What concerning the draft — when will the primary RB get picked this April?

Reid: This yr’s working again draft class jogs my memory of 2014, when Bishop Sankey was the primary one chosen all the way in which down at No. 54 total however seven ended up getting picked inside the highest 100. The 2023 group lacks a top-tier prospect, however we may see a run on the place within the middle-to-late elements of Day 2.

I believe the Cowboys — who haven’t signed a again after Pollard left in free company — at No. 56 could possibly be a place to begin for such a run. Florida State’s Trey Benson exhibits nice imaginative and prescient, breakaway pace, tackle-breaking capability and pass-catching traits, whereas Texas’ Jonathon Brooks (coming off a torn ACL) is a easy runner with nice contact steadiness. They’re my prime two RBs and could possibly be late-Spherical 2 picks — and RB1s as rookies.