Christian McCaffrey vents frustration at stalled running back market
Running backs have made it very clear, they are not happy, and 49ers star Christian McCaffrey joined his contemporaries in airing his frustration after several star players at the position failed to reach long-term deals before the franchise tag deadline. Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard will all play on the tag after they […]
Running backs have made it very clear, they are not happy, and 49ers star Christian McCaffrey joined his contemporaries in airing his frustration after several star players at the position failed to reach long-term deals before the franchise tag deadline.
Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard will all play on the tag after they were unable to come to terms with their respective teams.
The news has been met with indignation by star running backs across the league, including McCaffrey — the highest-paid running back in the NFL by average salary.
McCaffrey wrote on Twitter: "This is Criminal. Three of the best PLAYERS in the entire league, regardless of position."
On the surface, it appears ludicrous that Jacobs, the NFL's rushing champion, and Barkley, who was in the running for Comeback Player of the Year last season, did not get long-term deals.
But their impact in the receiving game is limited, at least compared to McCaffrey, and that may have played a factor in the Raiders and Giants electing not to bend to the respective demands of Jacobs and Barkley.
Jacobs had 400 yards and zero touchdowns receiving in 2022. Barkley also failed to find the endzone as a receiver, recording just 338 yards through the air. Those numbers are in stark contrast to McCaffrey, who finished the year with 741 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns.
Pollard is a different case, he is an explosive receiver out of the backfield and led all running backs with at least 50 targets with 9.5 yards per reception, but his fractured fibula and high ankle sprain suffered in the Cowboys' playoff loss to the 49ers may have negatively and significantly impacted his contract negotiations.
That is the age old problem with the running back position. The risk of injury is extremely high and, unless a player brings significant value in the receiving game, lucrative long-term contracts can be tough to justify.
McCaffrey is such a back who offers a substantial impact in the passing game, and he transformed the 49ers' aerial attack upon his arrival in a mid-season trade with the Panthers last year.
He is also fortunate he now plays for a coach in Kyle Shanahan who values running backs highly. Shanahan has continued to invest heavily in his backfield even as he has regularly found late-round gems at the position.
As long as he continues to prove an elite weapon on the ground and through the air, the 49ers will remain happy to pay him handsomely. When it's time for him to hit the open market in 2026, he may even be able to command a bigger contract than most 30-year-old running backs would expect.
Not getting paid is a frustrating trend for running backs, but McCaffrey has the skill set to continue to buck it.
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