The value of running backs in the NFL has seemingly hit an all-time low.
With stars Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs failing to come to terms with their teams on new contracts, the position seems more disposable than ever before.
More and more, teams seem content to have a revolving door at the running back spot rather than pay to keep a star, as ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller pointed out.
The Tennessee Titans‘ Derrick Henry, one of the best running backs in the game, commented on how he feels running backs do not even matter anymore.
At this point , just take the RB position out the game then . The ones that want to be great & work as hard as they can to give their all to an organization , just seems like it don’t even matter . I’m with every RB that’s fighting to get what they deserve . https://t.co/OgvBWZCKvn
— Derrick Henry (@KingHenry_2) July 17, 2023
Decades ago, teams needed a good or great running back in order to even have a shot at winning the Super Bowl, and it was axiomatic that they needed a strong running game to set up their passing game.
But change has been percolating in that regard ever since the San Francisco 49ers and San Diego Chargers of the early-1980s innovated the game with pass-heavy offenses.
That changed seemingly accelerated in more recent years with changes to pass interference rules that have made the game a little more finesse-oriented and pass-friendly.
The Kansas City Chiefs, for instance, have won two world titles in the last four seasons despite not having a single running back reach 1,000 yards on the ground during that span.
The Los Angeles Rams also didn’t have anyone run for 1,000 yards when they won it all in 2021.
Henry bounced back from an injury-riddled 2021 campaign to post 1,538 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground last season, and this fall, he will have some help in the form of five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
NEXT: Analyst Believes DeAndre Hopkins Made Right Decision By Joining Titans
