I read recently that in 2005, the average running back salary in the NFL was second only to quarterbacks. Now their franchise tag number is only above punters and kickers. Analytics devalued the position and some even say that success at the position is more a matter of scheme rather than RB talent.
The pendulum has swung a little too far, and there's bound to be some correction. Two RBs were even picked in the first 12 picks in this year's draft! Last year, critics blasted the Seahawks for picking a RB with the 41st pick. Even Kyle Shanahan seems to acknowledge that it matters who plays RB, trading for CMC after playing a bunch of no-names for a couple of years plus a wide receiver or two.
There are a bunch of radical ideas out there about how to address this situation. One is to allow RBs to sign a series of one-year contracts so that they could get free agent money earlier. My idea is to have a separate salary cap for RBs, so that a team could choose to compensate a running back without too much risk. Of course, teams may still choose to go with younger backs because older backs are generally not as productive.
