This offseason, very few running backs seeking long-term deals from their respective teams received them with stars like Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and others receiving franchise tags. It’s a brutal market for running backs and veteran backs are not getting paid what they used to. And Austin Ekeler wants some answers.
During an interview on CBS Sports Radio with Zach Gelb, Austin Ekeler expressed his frustration with the current market for running backs and made it clear that he wants to talk to team ownership about why this is happening.
“From a player’s aspect, we have no control,” Ekeler said according to Pro Football Talk. “I have no control. So really who we want answers from is the ownership. Like, why are you doing this? What’s the reason? Like, you aren’t interviewing them about it. Like, how many owners have you talked to about this? Zero.”
“I would love to,” Gelb said.
“I know,” Ekeler said. “They ain’t gonna say anything, either. Because, for whatever reason, they’ve got this thing going on where it’s like a new trend, like, ‘Oh, let’s not pay these guys.’ I don’t know, maybe they’re just testing us. Like, ‘Hey, let’s see what happens.’ But, you know, you poke the bear and you’re gonna make us have to do something.”
It sounds like some of the running backs are prepared to make some big moves if the market doesn’t change soon.
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