We learned plenty about how the NFL views the running back position this offseason. The top three free agents at the position were given the franchise tag as opposed to long-term deals, Dalvin Cook, who has made the Pro Bowl four straight years, was released, Austin Ekeler was denied an extension and didn't find interest on the trade market and now, Jonathan Taylor has requested a trade.
Several running backs around the NFL have spoken out about this ongoing controversy, and are reportedly discussing behind the scenes how to fight back. Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry even posted on social media, "Just take the RB position out of the game then," since his brethren aren't being given what they deserve.
This week, new Baltimore Ravens running back Melvin Gordon issued a warning to running backs, saying think long and hard about the position you want to play long term.
"If you're thinking about playing running back, think twice," Gordon said, via The Baltimore Banner. "Unless you really, truly feel like God put you on this planet to run the ball, if you're athletic enough to switch positions, I'd do so in a heartbeat."
Gordon has certainly seen firsthand how ruthless the running back market can be. After his second Pro Bowl campaign with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2018, Gordon held out in hopes of resetting the market with a new contract. He ended his holdout in Week 5 after Ekeler racked up over 100 scrimmage yards in three out of the first four games, and then signed a two-year deal with the rival Denver Broncos the following offseason. Gordon said in 2020 that he regretted his holdout.
"I probably would come back," Gordon said, via NFL.com. "Just because my legacy of what I'm trying to do as a player and the mark that I'm trying to leave. Obviously, those are games I can't get back. I started out slow and being able to catch my stride toward the end of the season, but then it's too late. I would say more so for my legacy and what I can do for a career as a player more so than anything else."
Everyone is waiting to see what happens next with this running back saga, and if there's anything these players can do to change NFL owners' minds about how they view the position.
"It's just an argument that you can't win, honestly," Gordon said. "And, with the [collective bargaining agreement] not changing for five or six years, we're pretty much screwed for five or six years."
