Steelers Legend Jerome Bettis Says RBs Future on Saquon Barkley's Shoulders

One Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Famer sees one way out of the devaluing of running backs.

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis is as worried about the running back market as everyone else who's played the position, and the only way he sees it getting better is through one player - Saquon Barkley. 

"It's disappointing, but you understand what it is," Bettis told SI Right Now. "And when you look at what it actually is, it's a devaluation of the running back position, but it's because if you go back and look at the college game, the college game has really changed what the high school players look like. So, now that the college game is really four wide receivers, and wasn't a lot of running, then there was really only five or six schools who focused on running the football pro-style. 

"As a result, you had those guys who were 6'2, 225, going to play linebacker as opposed to playing running back. So now, if you don't get a kid from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, maybe USC, Wisconsin, then you're not going to get a quality running back. That's just about the schools that run that type of offense. Because of that, you have a very limited group that you can choose from. As a result, it goes and transitions to the NFL and you don't have that many to pick from. So now, you have a running back by committee. And because of that, they're not paying the guys because you're not going to get 25 carries like the guys from my era."

Related: Saquon Barkley Goes Full Le'Veon Bell While Repping Steelers Colors

The transition has put running backs in a tough spot. With both Barkley and Josh Jacobs considering holding out this season instead of playing under the franchise tag, many running backs within the league have voiced their opinion about the matter, and their concern about being undervalued. 

For Bettis, he doesn't know what the future brings for the position or their contracts, but he believes what Barkley and the New York Giants compromise on will be a large factor in the outcome of the market moving forward. 

And for running backs across the league, they're hoping it ends in a long-term deal. 

"Every now and then, you get those special running backs that still exist. You see guys that deserve the money," Bettis said. "We see a situation in New York right now that's really showing that he's worth the money. But now, because the devaluation has happened, the team is less likely to give him the money that he deserves.

"What Saquon does, that will determine the future of the running back position."

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