Should RBs create their own union? Or at least fight within the NFLPA for better pay protections and higher guarantees?

It’s arguably the most violent position in the sport, and the most unfairly compensated one too.

I just saw Aaron Jones re-upped in Green Bay for $48MM a year for 4 years. But only $13MM is guaranteed and you KNOW , like everyone knows, that he’s not making year four of that. He’s 26... he’ll be walking like Gollum by 36.

I don’t think QBs can be overpaid. It’s the most important position in the most important sport. Everyone raised hell over Dak getting what he got, but what’s the alternative? Dak’s getting 40 a year, but if you told me it was 50 I’d still be like “sure that seems fair.”

But a running back? Man what a brutal life for most those guys. For every Aaron Jones or Christian McCaffery there’s like a dozen Alfred Morrises or Philip Lindsays. And to be honest if I ran a team I wouldn’t pay a running back either, not if I needed a QB or could pay an Aaron Donald or Khalil Mack type.

Is there any way to fix this?

Elliot ever be the same?

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

They take on the most vicious and violent hits, and they are defenseless in the
air, and even after they catch the ball. The defender builds up great locomotion
to take down WRs...They get to load up.

RBs are mostly tackled near the line of scrimmage, and they have more pad
protection, and defenders locomotion is not as fast around the line of scrimmage.

RBs short shelf life is due to high usage, which leads to an accumulation of hits.
They get run into the ground, taking on 20 plus carries a game, and by the 5th
year their legs are almost toast. And it is because of that as to why they don’t
get the big contracts, and they can be easily replaced compared to other positions.
Plus playing the RB position doesn’t take a lot of technical skill to perform.

All the RBs in the league could go on strike, and teams would just pull some dude
off the street as a filler.

They do deserve to get paid, but due to their short shelf life, they will never get
big bucks similar to other positions. They don’t last long enough.

ALL HAIL THE KING of LOSING: LEBRON
Bulls | Bears | White Sox | Yankees | Notre Dame | Illinois | Chelsea | Real Madrid

Other positions take on more repetitive hits, but no position takes
on more vicious, violent hits than a wide receiver.

And since they are usually the lightest player in open field, and are hit
by players off all sizes, on the ground and in the air, makes it even more
vicious.

I think other positions are more PUNISHING and more PHYSICAL due
to the constant hits and tackles. So it’s more of build up of hits
that wear those players out.

ALL HAIL THE KING of LOSING: LEBRON
Bulls | Bears | White Sox | Yankees | Notre Dame | Illinois | Chelsea | Real Madrid

>I think other positions are more PUNISHING and more PHYSICAL
>due
>to the constant hits and tackles. So it’s more of build up
>of hits
>that wear those players out.
>
>
>
>

---
"though time has passed, im still the future" (c) black thought

My movies: http://russellhainline.com
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they get rolled up on damn near every play, bash heads with 275 pound dudes on every play

WR are often defenseless but that doesn’t mean they are crushed every time they run a route.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

>It’s arguably the most violent position in the sport, and
>the most unfairly compensated one too.

If you look at accumulated head injuries, and the preponderance of CTE, that seems to be linemen, and to a lesser extent, linebackers. So in a sense I'd rather have my career cut short by knee injuries or that sort of thing than have my life cut short by brain damage.

Plus for all the times RBs take big hits, it's LBs and safeties doing the hitting. And you've got TEs taking on 350 Lb. DEs on one play then carrying LBs and DBs on their backs the next.

So I'm not sure RB is more violent, but maybe just differently violent.

>Is there any way to fix this?

Flag football.

ALL HAIL THE KING of LOSING: LEBRON
Bulls | Bears | White Sox | Yankees | Notre Dame | Illinois | Chelsea | Real Madrid

although I'm not sure what the data says about linebacker longevity vs. running back, and what the positional earnings would average.

but skill-set wise, those are very similar positions in many ways (off the top of my head, Devin White is a former prep RB)

--------

>although I'm not sure what the data says about linebacker
>longevity vs. running back, and what the positional earnings
>would average.
>
>but skill-set wise, those are very similar positions in many
>ways (off the top of my head, Devin White is a former prep
>RB)

its seems like I remember hearing Ray Lewis was a good HS RB but I don't think that means he would've excelled at the next level

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

inside linebackers have to read gaps and offensive lines with the same vision as a running back, just on the other side

coverage is different but they are involved in the same part of the passing game

both are physical positions

the smaller backs, of course, won't be able to switch

but a lot of guys seem to have the same tools

DJ Williams played running back in HS, Myles Jack even played both in college, Anthony Barr started as a running back at UCLA...I'm sure there are more

--------

He was probably their best LB and RB on the roster that season.

You’re right about bigger RBs being able to play LB and typically have played both positions throughout their time in Pop Warner and HS.

I can't think of the analytics term, but the term refers to the cost per win of a particular position relative to other positions. A team could figure out an offensive strategy that accounts for a highly productive RB that can be signed at a low rate has a better cost per win value than a QB on a second or third contract. At that moment, teams may decide if they find the right RB, they can
pay them much more than the elite RB's of this time and have a chance at outthinking other teams.

But to be honest, I don't know if that day is coming soon.

It seems teams at the lower end would have the cap money to overspend on a RB or the desperation to try a RB-friendly system. But unless a team or two hits on this new strategy there won't be enough evidence for an elite team to switch styles. Without a sense of elite RB's being demand, there won't be the bidding wars to dramatically drive up their salaries.

Also, I don't think there are many backs with the skill and extraordinary talents to be worthy of those large contracts with mid 10 figure guaranteed signing bonuses.

You had Gurley and Zeke. They had a breakout season but simply wore their bodies into the ground in the process.

The only backs like that now are Henry, McCaffery, and the back from the Giants (whose name I can't seem to remember).

And there seem to be fewer elite backs coming out of college than there are potentially elite QB's.

<--- Me when my head hits the pillow

RBs being so short would keep teams from making the investment. With QBs they can take the risk because when they hit on an elite QB - that position is locked down for the long term. With RB even the most elite are only going to be elite for 2-3 years...

aren't that good for that long

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

>aren't that good for that long

And it seems like lots of fanbases will more easily tolerate not winning if they have a name brand qb who is beloved. Just think: the list of folks you named all had/have long super bowl droughts. Add that Big Ben hasn’t won one in a decade either. But not winning AND showing up with an off brand qb seems to be what gets folks canned.

Another example: Harbaugh was about to get canned in Baltimore once it was clear that Flacco wasn’t gonna get/keep the love. He pivoted to Lamar and now, it’s like that period of time never happened and Harbaugh is good to go.

There’s plenty of QBs who have been long term starters for much longer than RBs. Matt Stafford, Big Ben, Matt Ryan, Phillip Rivers (up until this year), Russell Wilson, Tannehill, etc.

Once you hit as a decent QB in the league you usually end up having a much longer career than a RB. Even when having down years during your career - a QB’s success is much more dependent on the rest of the team and the coaching than a RB. So you’ll have a QB go through down years, and then get the right team around him or a change in coaching and then have some success. I can’t really thing of examples like that with RBs. Once that tread is worn down after a few productive years, it’s usually a wrap.

>There’s plenty of QBs who have been long term starters for
>much longer than RBs. Matt Stafford, Big Ben, Matt Ryan,
>Phillip Rivers (up until this year), Russell Wilson,
>Tannehill, etc.

that's questionable, Stafford has never done shit, Big Ben has been washed for years but Pittsburgh chose to keep paying him while letting other skill position players go. Matt Ryan and Tannehill's success has been tied to the skill position players they played with.

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

STILL been productive in the league for the long term. If you draft and lock down a QB who can be productive it’s much more likely that they’ll give you that decent production for a long tome than if you draft a RB who ends up being productive.

And yes, that’s also my point re: a QB’s success being more closely tied to the team around him. Remember my post was in response to whether there could be a tactical advantage to spend long term contract money on RBs than QBs. If you find a productive starting QB, that position is locked down for you for a good while and you can build around it. You can’t say the same with a RB - by the time you start building and get some other players, that tread is worn down.

their production

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

wins a SB or some shit like that.

but the response is always “RB is the easiest position to replace” or paying big money for a RB will make it too hard on the cap”

meanwhile the QB is making 3X that amount.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

Unless another player who seemed to have the longevity of AP came out, the probability that a scheme change to an RB-featured system would have the time to succeed is too small.

<--- Me when my head hits the pillow

why the fuck would any GM pay a QB 40 mill? It damn sure isn’t so they can win a SB.

the RB contract shit makes me furious as a former RB. They touch the ball 20 times a game, protect the QB, catch passes out the backfield but a WR is worth 19 mill when they may see the ball 8 times a game?

shit is sad.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

fulfilling prophecy.

mccaffrey about to be fucked up after the last 2-3 yrs at CAR.

conversely, being on a rb committee team fucks up your bread, but extends your health.

but the mythical 'every down back'... i would not have my kid play football nowadays. and DAMN SURE not RB.

back in the day, friend of mine was boys w/ the starting rb for a team that now has a generic name. he said his boy drank a fifth of jack on monday mornings just to deaden the pain enough to fully get out of bed and start his day.

think about that shit. (at same time, cats were popping the fk outta ibuprofen and shit that we found out is terrible for your liver). in college, they had a big ass sam's club bottle in the training room and we would literally get handfuls of advils before (and sometimes after practice).

i didn't really feel the effect / benefit of it but i'm so glad i never made that a habit.

shit is crazy.

per the threads up above, lineman is a dangerous assed position, too. think about the HoF center for pittsburgh who died and was one of the first recognized CTE cases. dude's brain was basically mush.

RB (and LB, which is its positional mirror) has some unique characteristics and dangers.

every position has its own inherent dangers and mitigations (i was a TE, so i got to see the the world as both a lineman and a receiver).

the high usage and the type of usage for RBs, however, in the current multi-year cycle, make it a particularly devalued position. (also, officiating trends, which are geared toward $$$ (don't kill our franchise qb) and, increasing, PR (don't decapitate my WR), afford protections to other positions that RBs don't get the advantage of).

granted, RBs do some vicious shit, like lowering their heads right before contact against a db or lb, that is also super dangerous. but if they run straight up, someone is coming for their crown, literally, so part of it is shoot first.

i find myself cringing a LOT more watching games than i ever used to, because i know how close players are to a devastating, life altering (or damn near ending ) hit on so many plays. especially the friendly fire joints, where multiple defenders converge on a tackle and a safety or lb damn near knocks his teammates block off.

i be thinking they are being extra and reckless, but truth is that their positional coach is probably digging in their ass in films session if they don't fly to the ball with suicidal abandon. there may be a handful of exceptions to this in the coaching world.


peace & blessings,

x.

www.twitter.com/poetx

=========================================
I'm an advocate for working smarter, not harder. If you just
focus on working hard you end up making someone else rich and
not having much to show for it. (c) mad

They are treated like mules: brought in to do the grueling work, and then
tossed aside when they breakdown.

Coaches don’t lose sleep or get worried when they lose a RB, because
offenses are based on passing, and RBs are not an imperative component
of that strategy. Teams are more worried about CBs, OLs and QBs.
Those positions get top dollar, because if a team loses a top player at any
one of those positions, the defense or offense could completely go to crap.

This is why it is important to be a triple threat RB, where you can be used
in several different scenarios. That increases the value and demand of the RB.

Also, a lot of these teams don’t even know how to properly run block anymore,
because so much emphasis has been placed on pass blocking...making it even
more difficult for RBs to do their jobs.

ALL HAIL THE KING of LOSING: LEBRON
Bulls | Bears | White Sox | Yankees | Notre Dame | Illinois | Chelsea | Real Madrid

every time and most of of this have to do stuff similar to what you mentioned to get out of the bed the next day

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

now maybe thats just some Marshawn quirk shit but that raised hella red flags to me

<--- Big Baller World Order

3 years 36 million 24 mill guaranteed earning 4 mill per season in salary. Keep reupping on a similar deal knowing performance falls off a cliff if they reach 30 and are still productive.

No empathy for white misery (c) BDot

"root for everybody black haters say that's crazy, wow..."

plenty of RB’s would sign that deal.

Problem is the first contract is the rookie coach contract is 4 years and if you are lucky you really have 1 chance to sign a contract like that and then you are knocking on 30’s door with the second contract. Most teams aren’t going to give a third contract with those numbers.

Yeah may get $4 mill per year but that other money will be so far away you wont see most of it.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*