One of the long-running debates in the NFL concerns what players should be paid.
Each offseason, player contracts are discussed as teams try and navigate free agency.
Most positions have strong markets where the next man gets paid the most.
That has been the case with quarterbacks of late.
But that is the exact opposite of what is happening with running backs.
No teams are willing to invest in running backs and give them long-term deals.
That is why many players feel like players should be paid for their impact on the field and not their position.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons thinks running backs should be paid based on the value they bring.
Parsons mentioned how Travis Kelce should be paid like a wide receiver and not a tight end, via his Twitter account.
Mostly because his production is better than a lot of the wide receivers in the league.
Facts i think Travis kelce should be paid as a reciever!! He has had more production than 75% of the receivers ahead of him! So many more players I can think of!! I don’t think a players value should be looked upon by position but by what they bring to a team! Including RB’s!! https://t.co/5sbFB9RKXM
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) July 18, 2023
Kelce has been elite for seven straight seasons.
He has made an All-Pro team each of those years and is one of the most durable players in the league.
But teams are not afraid to pay tight ends big money because that is a position that lasts.
Running backs, on the other hand, have short shelf lives.
NFL teams are scared to pay running backs due to their production falling off a cliff in year five or six.
Star running backs like Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, and Tony Pollard are having that problem this offseason.
Each will have to play under the franchise tag next season.
The way NFL contracts are set up is far from fair for running backs.
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