The Curious Case of RB Values in the NFL

[fightinfunbags]

 

[fightinfunbags]

This one really puts things in perspective.

 

[fightinfunbags]

What do you think are the factors that go into this? Do you think things have gone too far in the position being devalued?

 

[Think McFly Think]

This one really puts things in perspective.

That is pretty crazy, kickers score the most points on a team but RB’s workload and having to understand the playbook should be taken into account. Kickers aren’t getting points if the offense doesn’t move down the field.

Part of the devaluation I think stems from the league being pass happy for quite awhile now but some RB’s are a big part of the passing game as well so that can add to the confusion. Another factor could be longevity and how injury prone the RB position can be.

 

[fightinfunbags]

That is pretty crazy, kickers score the most points on a team but RB’s workload and having to understand the playbook should be taken into account. Kickers aren’t getting points if the offense doesn’t move down the field.

Part of the devaluation I think stems from the league being pass happy for quite awhile now but some RB’s are a big part of the passing game as well so that can add to the confusion. Another factor could be longevity and how injury prone the RB position can be.

I think you hit the right note in mentioning longevity. Some of these guys won’t ever reach the ability to cash in on a 2nd contract of meaningful value.

 

[shopson67]

That is pretty crazy, kickers score the most points on a team but RB’s workload and having to understand the playbook should be taken into account. Kickers aren’t getting points if the offense doesn’t move down the field.

Part of the devaluation I think stems from the league being pass happy for quite awhile now but some RB’s are a big part of the passing game as well so that can add to the confusion. Another factor could be longevity and how injury prone the RB position can be.

Reliable kickers are much rarer than functional RBs in the NFL IMO. When you get one, you lock him in if possible. That said, kickers can abruptly go sideways any given season, but I guess the injury risk at RB is a counter to that?

 

[DJ]

This one really puts things in perspective.

1 kicker on a team and how many RB's?

Kickers have pressure to make game winning FG's and extra points.

 

[Think McFly Think]

Reliable kickers are much rarer than functional RBs in the NFL IMO. When you get one, you lock him in if possible. That said, kickers can abruptly go sideways any given season, but I guess the injury risk at RB is a counter to that?

Good points, I agree that reliable kickers are rarer for sure and also agree with their susceptibility to have their success take a 180 degree turn any given season. This is all pretty interesting, I hadn’t really considered comparing kicker and RB contracts before.

 

[ducky]

This one really puts things in perspective.

Deceptive values.

Most RB's are on rookie deals. A kicker that is on a rookie deal makes just as little as a RB on a rookie deal.

 

[PDay8810]

1 kicker on a team and how many RB's?

Kickers have pressure to make game winning FG's and extra points.

I know you are serious with this statement. Don't you ever change.

 

[DJ]

Reliable kickers are much rarer than functional RBs in the NFL IMO.

Exactly.

 

[PDay8810]

pitch a tent here.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

There are 1000 RB options in college and the pros. They are a dime a dozen. Everyone wants to be a RB. With a pass happy league and the emphasis on passing, you see WR salaries jumping to nearly $30 million a year, and QB's going to 40-50 million a year. If you are going o value your star QB and WR (probably only one, with paydays like that, which is why I think it will be near impossible for Cincinnati to lock up Higgins), you have to start saving somewhere. If you can find a kicker than can boot the ball 60, a QB / WR combo that can get you into FG range in a matter of seconds, you can score in a hurry. RB's are a grind it out, wear the clock out type of game plan, as even home run hitting RB's can only beak a few on the year.

I can see Cincinnati basically drafting a new RB every 4 years to replace the last one so they can keep Burrow and Chase together while protecting Burrow a bit with the oline. RB is important, but it is not important enough they can't be replaced with similar production from a hundred alternatives.

 

[shopson67]

Deceptive values.

Most RB's are on rookie deals. A kicker that is on a rookie deal makes just as little as a RB on a rookie deal.

Probably less actually. Most kickers are late round picks or undrafted.

 

[fastforward]

Supply and demand plus value over replacement. The ground and pound of the 80s and 90s has gone. There are lots of lower-skill, pure athletes at RB and there are very few RBs that are difference makers. Very few individuals can physically dominate against other elite athletes for any length of time when they're taking punishment. How many teams get to be Super Bowl contenders with a pure runner versus how many who have blocker/receivers who can run a bit? Even when they do it's normally because of QBs and/or defense rather than the RB. A 2017 Todd Gurley is a rare thing and such players don't last long.

It should also be remembered that ILBs are also getting smaller, faster, and less durable. They're having shorter careers and ILB pay is stagnating.

 

[Sparhawk]

Obviously the Eagles were way ahead of the curve on this one.
Dallas and the Giants..... not so much.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Obviously the Eagles were way ahead of the curve on this one.
Dallas and the Giants..... not so much.

I think the whole RB room comes in at like a little over 4-5 million dollars.

 

[shopson67]

I think the whole RB room comes in at like a little over 4-5 million dollars.

You left out Hurts

 

[Cincyfan78]

RB's have the shortest life-span of any position in the NFL at around 2.5 years. Even the good ones start to burn out after age 28. It's especially rare to find a RB still putting up big yards/plays from 28-30+ years of age. The valuation of RB's has been reduced by the ability to use multiple RB's in a wide open passing game, lessening the impact of a high powered running game. Even those with elite running games find that it is really tough to sustain winning at a high level, and even harder in the playoffs, without the ability to have a big play passing game. That means the value goes into the positions that making the passing game possible: QB's, higher end WR (of which most teams now have at least 2, if not 3, solid WR options or a high end TE), and higher end OL's.

As for kickers making more - they have one of the highest life-spans in the NFL, and especially compared to RB's at nearly double. So, if the fact is you can get a really good kicker for 6-7 years, and they can continue to kick/punt into their middle 30's....by default the raises they are going to receive is going to push their annual average salary higher than the RB position group that sees a ton of turnover. This is one of those stats that, if taken just on the surface, looks like a head-scratcher, but if you actually put it into context on why that is happening - it's totally understandable - and not all that surprising, IMO.

 

[Clayton]

Rookie QB contracts are a cheat code and RBs peak early. Not hard to figure out.

I still think something similar could with happen with mobile QBs down the line.