The running back position in the NFL is arguably the most underrated and underpaid. Without a strong running back, teams repeatedly show how they struggle. Case in point: the New York Giants, both with and without Saquon Barkley. So, it’s no surprise that former NFL RB Marshawn Lynch advocated for RBs to be paid more, even citing the struggling Giants as an example.
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In the latest episode of the “Get Got Pod with Marshawn Lynch & Mike Robinson,” the Super Bowl-winning RB championed for his brethren to be shown more recognition. He used the Giants as an example, warning teams that, after finishing 6-11 with Barkley, the offense has collapsed with Barkley now gone to the Eagles, and they are currently 2-10. And all that is the result of the Giants not paying the RB.
“Show love to the Running Back man. Don’t let your team be a New York Giants because you don’t want to show love to the Running Back,” said Lynch.
Barkley’s presence was the main reason why the Giants finished last season on a respectable note. Yet, they decided to cut him. Meanwhile, the Eagles chose to shower Saquon with love and money after recruiting him, and they are now reaping its benefits. Especially since the former Giants star is on course to have the best-ever season for a running back in the league.
Steelers linebacker and co-host of the show, Mark Robinson, further chimed in by noting how lonely yet crucial the RB position is. Robinson explained how 11 pairs of eyes are on an RB when they stand with the ball behind the scrimmage line. He pointed out that not even a QB faces so many sets of eyes, and this is why having a quality RB can make or break your offense.
“There’s no other position like the running back position. When we get the ball eight yards behind the line of scrimmage, there’s 11 sets of eyes looking at us. When you see a quarterback, when he drops back, it might be 4, 5, or 6 sets of eyes… but for the most part, he’s not getting the entire defense converging on him.”
While these are enough reasons for the teams to shower love and money on their RBs, Robinson wanted teams to know that this is also the position where injuries happen due to burnout. Considering how an RB hovers all over the field in an average NFL game, they most often burn themselves out by the time they reach the playoffs.
This either leads to injuries or a decline in performance, leading to teams and fans looking down on those players. Robinson, therefore, asked NFL teams to manage the workload of their RBs to prevent this scenario from being played out.
“When we get to the playoffs, I would like to see Running Back usage being quantified because I believe that when we get to the playoffs, Running Backs are used more than any other offensive player than the quarterback. But that’s when teams want to lean on the running back. And then again, we get to the offseason say that they’re not worth it.”
Thanks to Saquon Barkley’s incredible season, more light is being thrown on the RB position. Moreover, the whole narrative around the position could change if he were to win the MVP award this season. In a world where QBs and wide receivers are worshipped, this is one underdog story worth rooting for.
