New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley's dispute with his team shed more light on an ongoing conversation about wage inequity for running backs. The NFL Top 100 list recently released by NFL Network adds credence to gripes from Barkley and other backs in the league.
Running backs made up 10 percent of the list, with Las Vegas Raiders star Josh Jacobs at No. 12 the highest-ranked ball carrier as voted by his NFL peers. The only positions with more players on the top 100 are quarterback (14) and wide receiver (16). Despite the changing era of spread offenses emerging with more passing, based on the player vote, a winning team still needs talented running backs.
Another illustration of the dichotomy is that the average salary for nine running backs in the top 100 is $9,537,556. By comparison, wide receivers average a little less than $10.6 million, and quarterbacks average more than $25 million, according to Spotrac.
It's important to remember that Dalvin Cook, who rushed for 1,173 yards with a 4.4 yards per carry average and eight touchdowns last season for the Minnesota Vikings, is a free agent. Cook is the 91st-ranked overall player and the ninth-rated running back. He's one spot ahead of New Orleans Saints back Jamaal Williams, who was 95th on the list of the best NFL players.
Christian McCaffery got traded from the Carolina Panthers to the San Francisco 49ers last season. The 49ers were 3-4 before McCaffery arrived in the Bay Area. His 1,148 yards from scrimmage, including 440 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, were a catalyst toward the 49ers going from a losing record to making the playoffs. His peers recognized his role helping the team score 30.5 points per game, which was second in the league, by ranking him the 35th-best player after not making the list for the previous season.
McCaffery is the highest-paid running back on the list at $12,000,000 for the 2023 season, according to Spotrac. Atlanta Falcons rookie Bijan Robinson is the only back scheduled to make more. McCaffery the sixth-best running back based on the player vote. Despite his ranking and productivity, he's just the 212th-highest-paid player for the upcoming season.
Barkley enters the top 100 list at 31 and is the fifth-ranked running back. He avoided the franchise tag by signing a one-year pact for a little under $11 million that includes a $2 million signing bonus. He makes nearly $7 million less than Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who was one spot behind at 32. Herbert's teammate, safety Derwin James, is the 30th player and makes $4 million more than Barkley. James is the 118th-highest-paid player, while Barkley is 213th.
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb is 29th on the top 100 and the fourth running back. Chubb makes $14 million than New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, even though Lawrence is one slot ahead of Chubb—Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt's $20 million for 2023 dwarfs Chubb's salary by $10 million.
Herbert and James should buy dinner for running back Austin Ekeler as often as possible. Ekeler's market value, according to Spotrac, is $12.82 million per season, but he makes a $6.5 million base salary and a $1.5 million signing bonus. Ekeler is the 342nd-highest-paid NFL player but is 21st on the players list. Browns defensive tackle Myles Garrett is 20th on the NFL Network list but makes nearly $10 million more than Ekeler. Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown is 22nd on the player list, and his $12.8 million salary nearly doubles Ekeler's.
Another teammate who could cover an extra dinner would be Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (13th), making nearly $16 million more than 12th-ranked Jacobs. Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald is the 11th-ranked player. While their fellow players consider them on par with each other, Jacob's salary pales in comparison.
One of the most significant discrepancies between ranked player salaries is Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (25th overall, third running back), whose $10.5 million salary compared to Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith's (24th) $27.5 million is a pittance.
Barkley hopes to build on 1,312 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns and 338 receiving yards off 57 catches he amassed during the 2022 season. He scored two touchdowns and had 109 total yards (53 rushing, 56 receiving) in the Giants' upset playoff win against the Vikings. Barkley, Jacobs, Ekeler, McCaffery and Chubb will likely be focal points for teams attempting to make deep playoff journeys despite the salary discrepancy.
How do they deal with the stress? Barkley answered recently on the Money Matters podcast.
"I can try to get as much money as I can, but what matters is winning," he said. "If I can help bring a championship to New York, that will go miles ahead than this contract. If I have to go on the field, prove and play again, I'm fine with that."
