Miles Sanders: It sucks to be a running back right now

Unlike some other running backs this offseason, former Eagles running back Miles Sanders managed to exit free agency with a four-year deal with the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers locked him in for $25 million. It’s a hefty sum but his $6.35 million per year average is on the low end for a recent Pro Bowler.

Looking at his fellow running backs like Josh Jacobs, Dalvin Cook, Saquon Barkley and more, Sanders sees the league’s big decision makers de-valuing the position.

“It’s nothing that we’re doing wrong,” Sanders said on the Rich Eisen Show. “We’re doing everything that we have to do as far as on the field and stuff like that. For people and GMs or owners to think that running backs are not as valued as much is a lie because you’ve got to see how everything plays out. You’ve got to see what guys like Christian McCaffrey, the stuff he does, things that Saquon Barkley (does), the things that Josh Jacobs (does) consistently each year. …

“You want to franchise tag and create a certain market for running backs just because you have this way of thinking that they only last three or four years. I think it’s B.S., honestly. Almost every running back is underpaid right now. I don’t know what it’s gonna take. That’s a topic that needs to be brought up a little more because it sucks to be a running back right now, honestly.”

Melvin Gordon: ‘So tough for running backs right now’

As free agent running back Melvin Gordon recently pointed out, teams are not paying top money for backs, or even signing them in some instances.

Gordon went as far as to say that running back is the “worst position” to play in the NFL on the Jim Rome Show.

“It’s just so tough for running backs right now, man,” Gordon said. “You have a lot of running backs that’s out there. We just don’t get no love. It’s literally the worst position to play in the NFL right now. It literally sucks.”

According to Gordon, this trend started with Todd Gurley, who received $45 million in guaranteed money from the Rams, before dealing with injuries. He was cut ahead of the 2020 season, only two years into the deal.

“I think after Todd got paid, and then Sean McVay came out and said, ‘I’ll never pay a running back again, I’ll just use them and rotate them out.’ … After that statement was made and then they won the Super Bowl, everybody just followed suit,” Gordon said. “I think that’s where everything started going downhill.”

Gordon, who is 30, went to the Chargers with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft.

He has had a successful NFL career, including making the Pro Bowl twice, but he ended last year on the Chiefs’ practice squad and has not signed with anyone this offseason.

On3’s Matt Connolly contributed to this report.