The NFL’s franchise tag deadline officially expired on Monday afternoon. The biggest names dominating NFL news headlines at the moment are Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs after both running backs were unable to secure a deal with the New York Giants and the Las Vegas Raiders, respectively.
Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler has caught wind of this development and the 28-year-old could not help but take to Twitter to air his grievances.
NFL News: Austin Ekeler Calls Out League For Mistreatment Of RBs
The fact that both the Raiders and the Giants refused to budge on Jacobs’ and Barkley’s contract demands did not sit well at all with Austin Ekeler. The Chargers RB did not hold back as he blasted the current situation of running backs in the NFL:
“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,” Ekeler wrote in his tweet.
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
Ekeler himself is one of the most handsomely-paid RBs in the league, and the fact that he’s on a four-year deal worth $24.5 million is a testament to his argument here. It’s not a small amount by any means, but it is far from what the top quarterbacks and the wide receivers are pocketing year after year. Clearly, Ekeler has had enough of this disrespect and he just had to call it as it is.
NFL News: Packers’ Current RB Situation
The good news for the Green Bay Packers is that they currently don’t have to face this same dilemma with their running backs — at least not yet.
Green Bay’s top RB is Aaron Jones, and the 28-year-old is still under contract through 2025. He’s far from the highest-paid player on the roster, but he’s going to be pocketing around $12 million per year. The Packers have at least one more year before they have to really worry about Jones’ future with the squad.
It’s a much different situation for backup running back AJ Dillon, though. The former Boston College standout will see his four-year, $5.3 million deal come to an end next season. There hasn’t been much talk about a potential extension so it seems that Dillon will be heading to free agency next summer.
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