Nam Y. Huh, AP Photos
The death of the NFL’s running-back market, it turned out, was greatly exaggerated.
One year after premier rushers discussed ways to try to ensure players at their position were paid properly in a league that increasingly favored cheap rookie contracts, some of them — including seven former Pro Bowl players — spent March landing sizable free-agent contracts.
The Giants gave Saquon Barkley a three-year, $37.75 million deal. The Texans traded for — and then re-upped, Joe Mixon. Josh Jacobs (Packers), Derrick Henry (Ravens), Aaron Jones (Vikings) and Tony Pollard (Titans) all signed free-agent deals with new teams.