Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers is one of the premier running backs in the NFL and stands atop the RB market with a lucrative contract. According to the latest figures, Christian McCaffrey commands an average annual value of $16.01 million. This makes him the highest-paid player in his position and 104th in the league. However, the RB market has been considerably weakened as three of the best RBs took a contractual hit lately.
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If we look back, running backs have been vital contributors to the NFL teams. However, with the changing landscape and NFL transitioning to a pass-heavy game, the average salary for running backs in 2023 allegedly sits below $2 million. While this figure is still debated upon, what one can say without any doubt is that when compared to other positions, RBs are not earning well.
Christian McCaffrey Joins ‘RB-Salary’ Debate
In a league where running backs are often the backbone of a team’s offense, the recent developments surrounding some of the NFL’s best at the position have sparked a heated debate. The issue at hand lies in the value that teams place on running backs beyond their rookie contracts.
With an influx of talent entering the league, franchises have adopted a strategy of maximizing a running back’s performance during their rookie deal. Teams are using the franchise tag as a short-term solution, and then opting to let them go thereafter.
This situation caught the attention of Christian McCaffrey. With disdain, he said, “This is criminal. Three of the best PLAYERS in the entire league, regardless of position,” said McCaffrey in his tweet. He was referring to Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, and Tony Pollard as three of the best players in the RB position.
He joined fellow running backs in expressing solidarity. Even Rich Eisen, a prominent sports commentator, chimed in on Twitter, highlighting the dichotomy between the crucial role that running backs play on the field and the lack of commensurate compensation they receive.
This is Criminal. Three of the best PLAYERS in the entire league, regardless of position. https://t.co/zDXRS5cGdu
— Christian McCaffrey (@CMC_22) July 17, 2023
Running backs are some of the most crucial players in the NFL until it’s time for them to get paid as such. Bizarre.
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) July 18, 2023
Moreover, in the last few days, several fans have suggested that the average salary of all running backs currently stands at $1.808 million per season. This figure sounds even lower when we take into factor the hits a running back endures in games. Comparatively, kickers earn an average salary of $2.196 million. However, in reality, these numbers look a little different if we take other factors into consideration.
Running Backs’ Salaries vs. Kickers: Unveiling the Skewed Data and Its Implications
While it is true that kickers, on average, earn more than running backs, the comparison is skewed due to the number of backup running backs in the league, which significantly brings down the average salary, as suggested by Fantasy Football Content Creator Luke Sawhook.
This is a problem. pic.twitter.com/AOIG4ga7xP
— Luke Sawhook 🪚🪝 (@lukesawhook) July 17, 2023
The discrepancy becomes more evident when we compare the salaries of the 32 starting running backs to that of kickers. According to data from Over The Cap, the salary of the starting running backs actually averages way higher as compared to kickers. This comparison paints the true picture amidst the disparity.
As the NFL continues to evolve, it is crucial to assess salaries based on their context and consider the unique dynamics of each position. However, amidst all this, what we just can’t ignore is the fact that a lot of fans do want their favorite RBs to get better contracts and if this sentiment grows further, we all might be in for some major changes.
