Cleveland Browns’ Nick Chubb and New York Giants’ Saquon Barkley, both highly regarded running backs in the NFL, sustained injuries on consecutive nights, raising concerns about the ongoing devaluation of running back contracts.

Barkley, at 26 years old, had a strong season last year before heading into free agency. Despite discussions among running backs across the league this summer about the lack of long-term contracts for their position, Barkley accepted a one-year, $10.1 million franchise tag from the Giants. The running back salary market has been shrinking, with Falcons rookie Bijan Robinson currently the highest-paid running back.

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San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey ranks second on the list of highest-paid running backs with a $12 million salary for 2023, which is $1.72 million less than Robinson’s salary. In contrast, players like Houston Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil are earning $25 million per year.

Chubb, aged 27, is set to earn $10.85 million this year and will become a free agent in 2025. However, he will face the challenge of recovering from a severe knee injury next season while playing for a new contract.

Nick Chubb signed a 4 year, $7,383,095 contract with the Cleveland Browns, including a $3,449,524 signing bonus, $5,896,309 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $1,845,774. In 2023, Chubb will earn a base salary of $10,850,000, while carrying a cap hit of $14,850,000 and a dead cap value of $18,850,000.

The running back position is susceptible to injuries due to its physical demands, and there is always a stream of young talent entering the league. Barkley’s ankle injury, while not as severe as Chubb’s, is still a setback, and having two elite running backs suffer injuries further complicates the contract landscape.

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Additionally, the absence of two more elite running backs, Austin Ekeler of the Los Angeles Chargers and Aaron Jones of the Green Bay Packers, in Week 2 due to nagging injuries adds to the concerns surrounding the running back position.