Browns' Nick Chubb: 'There's Really Nothing' NFL RBs Can Do About State of Contracts

One of the major talking points from the NFL offseason has been star running backs and organization's refusal to pay them big money.

Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs are among the latest top rushers who failed to secure long-term deals from their respective organizations, instead each being hit with the franchise tag.

But this isn't a recent trend, the devaluation of running backs has been leaking through the NFL for years now and it's starting to come to a head this offseason. Star backs from around the league hopped on a zoom call Saturday to discuss potential solutions, though nothing major was planned.

Barkely, Jacobs, Austin Ekeler, Nick Chubb, Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey were all on the call, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"Right now, there's really nothing we can do," Chubb said Sunday. "We're kind of handcuffed with the situation. We're the only position that our production hurts us the most. If we go out there and run 2,000 yards with so many carries, the next year they're going to say, you're probably worn down. It's tough. ... It hurts us at the end of the day."

Chubb is completely correct.

Especially in the cases of Barkley and Jacobs, the organizations have all the leverage over them by placing the franchise tag on them. And while neither player has signed the franchise tender and plan on sitting out of training camp in protest, they'd only be hurting themselves by sitting out the season, sacrificing $10.1 million and valuable game checks.

Barkley admitted earlier this week that he has considered sitting out the year amid his face off with the New York Giants while appearing on the "Money Talks" podcast.

"We're definitely in a tough situation, running backs as a whole. Saquon's a great player, and you can ask anyone around the league or even on the Giants how much he means to that team. So it's hard seeing him not get what he deserves," Chubb said.

Tony Pollard of the Dallas Cowboys also received the franchise tag but ended up signing the tender.

Ever since the three stars failed to agree to long-term contracts, other running backs around the league have spoken up about the trend and how one of the most punished positions on the field isn't getting the money they feel they deserve.

Over the last couple of seasons, Chubb is the only running back to receive a long-term contract worth $10 million or more per season, doing so back in 2021. But his time to haggle may be coming up soon as his contract runs through the 2024 season and he has no guaranteed money remaining on his deal after the upcoming campaign.

"I know it can be me one day," Chubb said. "I'm just kind of playing both sides. I'm here for my team. But I'm also understanding the situation I could be in."