(07-24-2023, 10:30 AM)NYC4jags Wrote: The game changed.

The rules changed and continue to change.

It is a passing league, QBs are protected and the elite QBs are the celebrated driving force behind the popularity of the sport.

Running backs aren't returning to glory any time soon, and neither will their treatment by smart GMs who know better than to tie up money at the position.

Seven years till the next CBA gets negotiated and maybe then they can institute some additional incentive payment scheme for bell cow backs who get X number of touches and contribute X amount of offensive production for their teams.

I don't really see much else they could do.

The league already has something similar in place for undrafted players who end up with major starting roles so they earn more than the meager sum originally agreed to.
They could do this for backs who shine but earn under a certain threshold of salary.
MAYBE the league would agree to amend the current CBA with this sort of thing, but I don't know.

 I agree completely.
 It is a CBA problem that can only be fixed with a new (or amended) CBA.
  Right now, rookies drafted in later rounds or going undrafted are eligible to receive a bonus if they play a certain number of snaps. It takes at least 2 years to earn the bonus.
 To me the only fair thing would be to expand this so it applies to all rookies, with additional bonuses being available based on production, not just snaps.   There should be a bonus for any running back on their rookie contract who appears on the top 10 rushing yards list for the season, for instance.  A guy should only need one good year to earn a bonus like this, and then they could earn it again if they do the same thing next year.

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(07-24-2023, 11:09 AM)Caldrac Wrote: The game changed. Some teams are already reverting back a bit to use the current game against their opponents. The tacks have done it for years with Henry. You see the Giants doing it. The 49ers doing it. Baltimore, etc.

We just saw two RBs get selected in the top 15 back in April. We still see some RBs going in RD1 here and there. Everything is cyclical. Pat Mahomes and Joe Burrow cant be Pat Mahomes and Joe Burrow if they're on the bench for more than half a game.

Controlling tempo and clock management is going to come back at some point via running the football. As LBs and SSs get lighter? You watch. Teams will start adding heavier lineman, the FB position and traditional TEs to tee off on them and make short work out of them.

You could make the argument that Pederson is doing it already based on April's draft class. Strange, Bigsby and Parish are all in that power, heavy handed run mold offensively.

At some point. 1500 yard rushers will start to climb and 4500+ yard passers will start to decline. Its all trendy.

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You're right that play style and selection can be cyclical,  but even if teams start calling more running plays, that doesn't mean the guy getting the ball is a highly paid guy on a second contract. It's probably still gonna be a lower paid journeyman, or someone on their rookie contract.

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