Report: NFL running backs had complaint about agents on Zoom call
Dec 2, 2018; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler (30) warms up before playing the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
A group of high-profile NFL running backs joined together on a Zoom call Saturday night to discuss the state of the positional market, and they have concerns about their agents for one specific reason.
Some of the backs on the call raised concern that agents created false expectations for running backs by inflating some contracts with back-end money that most players will never see, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. One example of this would be Saints running back Alvin Kamara, who would be owed $25 million in 2025, though the Saints are almost certain to get out from under that contract before then. That inflated Kamara’s average annual salary to $15 million, though he only made $9 million last year and is slated to get $10 million this year.
According to Florio, the backs want to speak to their agents and encourage them to collaborate and create better lines of communication in order to strategize on behalf of running backs seeking new deals.
Whether this is plausible or not remains to be seen. Agents would have to be willing to do this, and it probably would not solve the underlying issue regarding how the position is valued right now.
Saturday night’s Zoom meeting was initiated by Austin Ekeler in response to Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard and Saquon Barkley failing to land contract extensions after being franchise tagged. The group seems determined to do something, but it is not really clear what there is to be done.
