Austin Ekeler Calls Out How The NFL Has ‘Devalued’ Running Backs
The NFL offseason can seem boring at times, given the lack of notable news in June and July.
Recently, however, many players have sounded off about the current state of the running back position.
One of those players was Austin Ekeler, who spoke out against the disrespect of veteran backs.
In response to Matt Miller, an NFL draft analyst, Ekeler tweeted: “This is the kind of trash that has artificially devalued one of the most important positions in the game.”
This is the kind of trash that has artificially devalued one of the most important positions in the game. Everyone knows it’s tough to win without a top RB and yet they act like we are discardable widgets. I support any RB doing whatever it takes to get his bag. https://t.co/sRYfAKwrpQ
— Austin Ekeler (@AustinEkeler) July 17, 2023
Miller’s initial tweet indicated that teams should draft and play a RB for his rookie contract.
Then, only if he succeeds, a team should place the franchise tag on him, and promptly draft their replacement.
Miller’s comments came directly after teams decided to not move forward with contract extensions for Saquon Barkley, Tony Pollard, and Josh Jacobs.
His post received mostly negative criticism, especially from current players like Ekeler.
As Ekeler remarked: “It’s tough to win without a top RB and yet they act like we are discardable widgets.”
He is an advocate for other athletes at the position, especially when they are trying to get a contract extension.
When analyzing the playoff teams from the 2022 season, many had at least one elite running back on their roster.
However, in the case of the two Super Bowl teams, neither roster featured a high-paid running back.
This doesn’t necessarily disprove Ekeler’s point, but it could make teams across the league further analyze where they currently stand at the position, contract-wise.
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