Do Dalvin Cook, Ezekiel Elliott contracts lay groundwork for NFL RBs?

Did Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook set the future market for top RBs after a summer of turmoil at the position? 

After months of suspense, both Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook signed new contracts on Monday. Elliott went to the New England Patriots and Dalvin Cook went to the New York Jets, positioning the summer’s top free agents as division rivals.

The contracts are especially notable, of course, because the running back market continues to shift violently in the wrong direction for players. Josh Jacobs, who led the NFL in rushing last season, remains unsigned and away from camp in Las Vegas. Saquon Barkley could barely squeeze a contract offer worth more than the franchise tag out of the Giants. Jonathan Taylor hasn’t been furnished with a long-term offer from Indianapolis. And on it goes.

It’s so dire that players have met over Zoom to discuss the crumbling financial situation. Teams no longer want to invest in RBs, who tend to suffer from longevity concerns more than the average position player. Perhaps Zeke and Cook have charted a course forward, however undesirable the compromise may be.

Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook set market for future RB contract negotiations

Elliott signed a one-year deal in New England worth “up to $6 million.” His base salary is $3 million. Cook signed a slightly more lucrative deal with New York: one year worth up to $8.6 million with a $7 million base salary.

This could be the path for RBs. It’s not terribly dissimilar to the deal Barkley ended up signing with the Giants: $10.1 million with $909,000 in potential incentives. Rather than strike up long-term extensions with guaranteed money, RBs may be forced to accept more front-heavy, short-term deals with a limited base salary and lucrative incentive opportunities.

The top-end backs should get more money than Elliott and Cook, but Barkley is the top end of RBs. He has some miles on his knees, of course. Jacobs and Taylor are the real test subjects here — both 25 or younger, both with league-leading rushing seasons in the recent past. If no teams pony up significant offers for them, it’s hard to imagine any RB getting a big-money deal in the foreseeable future.

From here on out, expect a lot more one-year “prove it” deals that reward RBs who stay healthy and produce. The position has felt awfully interchangeable in recent years, with more teams embracing timeshares and younger alternatives. There are sixth and seventh-round picks getting the nod over tenured vets. Players will do everything in their power to maintain leverage, but it’s hard to chart a path forward for RBs that doesn’t involve the eventual acceptance of the inevitable.

If teams won’t offer up long-term contracts, the next best option is to milk as much money as possible out of short-term contracts that reward the elite RBs who still produce at the highest level.