(Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
There should be a number of intriguing running backs available on the free-agent market once the new NFL league year begins on March 13.
That crop is expected to be headlined by Saquon Barkley, a two-time Pro Bowler, and Derrick Henry, who rushed for over 2,000 years during the 2020 season.
Adam Schefter offered up a concerning take, per NFL on ESPN, that the star running backs who are about to become free agents may not be able to secure big bags because there should be several of them available, as well as because there should be several good tailbacks available in April’s draft.
.@AdamSchefter feels some RBs won’t get the deals they desire in free agency due to the numbers of backs available pic.twitter.com/8uCXzMecLe
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 1, 2024
The NFL market for running backs has hit an all-time low, as evidenced by the fact that multiple such players, including Barkley, held out last year looking for lucrative new deals but didn’t receive them.
There is a growing perception that a team only needs a replacement-level running back to compete for a Super Bowl championship and thus it shouldn’t spend any real money on such a player.
However, there are examples to disprove that notion, including the San Francisco 49ers, who got to the edge of a world title thanks in large part to Christian McCaffrey, who led everyone in rushing yards and won the Offensive Player of the Year award.
Another reason why running backs haven’t been paid big bucks is that historically they tend to fall off a cliff at around age 30.
Henry is already 30 and has seen his efficiency drop over the last couple of years, while Barkley is 27 and Austin Ekeler of the Los Angeles Chargers in 28.
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