There’s arguably no larger hot-button concern within the NFL proper now than the underappreciation of operating backs.
Whereas many together with Austin Ekeler, Josh Jacobs and Nick Chubb have been more and more vocal concerning the discrepancy in common wage of their place in comparison with others, extra of the NFL’s high backs — together with Steelers star Najee Harris — are talking as much as let the league know they’re not OK with being undervalued.
“The one time they select to say it’s devalued is when it’s time to pay the operating again,” Harris mentioned, through The Athletic. “It’s not (much less precious) in any respect. They simply don’t wish to pay the operating again. … In 17 video games, they’re asking us to do that and this and this,” Harris mentioned. “Not as soon as did we are saying, ‘I believed the operating again don’t matter, although? Why are you asking me to do that? Ask the (different place) to do that. We don’t say that.”
What Harris and several other of his cohorts have been arguing is that due to the very nature of their place, which calls for them to run the ball, catch passes, block, take hits and basically play all offensive positions throughout any given sport, they should be compensated nearer to what a few of the top-tier quarterbacks and receivers are making.
Per Spotrac, the one positions with a mean wage lower than operating backs ($.179M) are fullbacks ($.172M), punters ($1.5M) and lengthy snappers ($1.02M).
“For them to say that on the operating again place you’re slotted at this a lot cash, I don’t assume that’s proper,” Harris mentioned. “There’s loads of nice operating backs which can be doing receiving. There’s loads of operating backs doing blocking.”
The obvious consensus across the league, which has been expressed by each the gamers and front-office members, is that is simply the best way issues are and there’s not a lot that may be accomplished.
Nevertheless, it’s turning into more and more obvious that the powder keg the NFL is at present sitting on will blow sooner or later so long as operating backs proceed to be seen as simply replaceable.
“When it’s time (to barter), once we need one thing from you guys — that’s to compensate us for our efficiency or compensate us for what we’re doing for the crew and our worth to the crew,” Harris added. “That’s when it turns into a problem. That’s not proper.”
