In an offseason in which we’ve seen $773,800,000 in new money allocated to quarterbacks, with $516,551,500 guaranteed (per Spotrac), running backs are left scratching their heads. No one expects the two positions to be on the same playing field. But when you’ve got Geno Smith (no offense to Geno) earning $40 million guaranteed over three seasons as a soon-to-be 33-year-old with one excellent season as a starter in the NFL, and running backs like Dalvin Cook being cut for $9 million in cap savings, the balance is so far shifted that it might prompt someone to do something about it. Josh Jacobs is that person.
Josh Jacobs, who still hasn’t signed the franchise tag, shed some light on his logic on Twitter on Saturday.
Sometimes it’s not about you. We gotta do it for the ones after us 🤷🏽‍♂️
Of course, Jacobs could be talking about anything. But let’s operate with the assumption that this, indeed, is regarding his contract since he hardly tweets. When he does, it’s usually football related. Jacobs’ previous tweet was a retweet of Brandon Marshall discussing the devaluation of the running back position in the NFL on the ‘I AM ATHLETE’ podcast. So, Jacobs is fighting to reset the market for running backs. By all indications, he has no intention of signing the franchise tag before the July deadline.
I get it. Jacobs isn’t happy that NFL teams have devalued running backs so much that it’s hard to find a second contract. Especially when teams have the power to place a fifth-year option on a running back, and then franchise tag them, costing them multiple years of their career before ultimately discarding them once they’ve exited their prime. Josh Jacobs is 25, but if he plays with the Raiders on the franchise tag for the next two seasons, he’ll be close to Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott’s ages. Cook and Elliott have been kicked to the curb by their teams this offseason. So, why would Jacobs want to sign the franchise tag? Jacobs led the NFL in rushing last season, was an All-Pro, and represented the Raiders in the Pro Bowl.
But, here’s the thing, unless Jacobs and the running backs take a collective stand, he’s fighting a losing battle. If Jacobs signed the tag, his fully-guaranteed $10.1 million salary in 2023 would rank seventh among all running backs. In doing this alone, Jacobs is putting himself in a precarious situation by staying in his current position. The Raiders have the power to strip him of the tag and cut him loose. That would make it difficult for him to secure the contract he desires from any other team, especially given the current state of the offseason.
Dalvin Cook is in a position to take a stand this offseason as well. Speaking on the Rich Eisen Show, NFL insider Tom Pelissero indicated that Cook will be fighting the good fight as well. “Dalvin Cook is not looking to sign a $4-5 million contract, That is not going to happen.” Pelissero said. “This is going to be a significant contract.”
Eric Carmona — the founder of the TuAnon fan club in support of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — recently died in a car accident. Carmona, 30, left behind a wife and four young children. Carmona was the type of football fan that made the game so much fun. He created a fun space for Dolphins fans and put in effort in making the football world a more enjoyable place. Dolphins’ QB Tua Tagovailoa donated $10,000 to a GoFundMe that has now exceeded $100,000. Tua said that he “just wants [Carmona’s] wife and his kids to know that we’re praying for them and that we’re thinking of them.”
Contributions to TuAnon founder Eric Carmona's family now exceed $100,000. https://t.co/ATQgMBwcNT
Patrick grew up in Chicago's Bridgeport and Garfield Ridge neighborhoods before moving to the Western Suburbs of Chicago before eventually relocating to the Las Vegas area with his family in 2023. He started with Bleacher Nation in 2021 and has spent time as a Staff Writer and on the Chicago Blackhawks beat. He is currently a writer and editor at Bleacher Nation covering the Chicago Bears and the NFL at large and the author of the Bleacher Nation Newsletter. Patrick is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA).
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