Emmitt Smith, Jerome Bettis Analyze Saquon Barkley Contract Talks

The Hall of Fame running backs say Barkley and the New York Giants will determine the position's NFL future.

Saquon Barkley wanted to revolutionize the running back position when he left Penn State for the NFL in 2017. Now, Hall of Fame running backs Jerome Bettis and Emmitt Smith believe that Barkley will reshape the NFL running back market.

Bettis and Smith said Barkley's contract situation with the New York Giants is "disappointing," particularly as it appears to devalue the running back position in the NFL. The Giants and Barkley could not reach terms on a multiyear contract, meaning Barkley would have to play the 2023 season on the franchise tag. Barkley has said that he would consider sitting out the season.

In interviews with Sports Illustrated at the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship, Bettis and Smith understandably sided with Barkley. Further, both suggested that Barkley could pioneer a re-evaluation of the running back position in the NFL.

"The situation right now in New York, that's really showing that he's worth the money, but now because the devaluation has happened, the team is less likely to want to give him the money that he deserves," Bettis said in an interview. "That's where we have to figure out what happens. What Saquon does will determine the future of that running back position."

Smith said Barkley's situation "bugs me completely," since it points to a game geared to passing, statistics and betting. "It's really about high scoring, high statistics, Fanduel and all the other fantasy football levels," Smith said.

"All the kids are playing Madden, all the adults are playing Madden, even the college kids are playing Madden," Smith added. "And in Madden, you throw the ball almost 90 percent of the time. So they're taking the stats they get from Madden and other games and applying it to real life. You're going to see a lot of things come from AI that are predictable, and the unpredictable things is what the running game brings to the table: stability, foundation, time of possession, confidence and courage. And when the quarterback is not playing well, they lean on the running game."

Check out more from Bettis and Smith here.

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