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The first shoe has dropped in the new running back contract kerfuffle and it begins with one that wasn’t even needing to be done.
Todd Gurley is close to signing a four-year $60 million extension with the Los Angeles Rams including $45 million in guaranteed money.
Rams and RB Todd Gurley finalizing agreement on a 4-year extension worth $60 million that includes $45 million guaranteed that ties him to LA for the next six seasons, source tells ESPN. Finally a deal that resets the RB market.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 24, 2018
This sets the market for the running backs, as it was the Le’Veon Bell contract that he turned down a 5 year $70 million deal, that would have set the market.
Now, it will be more than $14 million a season, as Gurley sets the running back market at $15 million a season.
More than the $15 million though is the fact that Gurley has established a massive guaranteed baseline at $45 million.
Based on what we know of the Bell negotiations as well as David Johnson’s situation, the guaranteed money seemed to be the sticking point.
Now, the Cardinals and Johnson’s agent will know where the market is for the top producing dual threat running backs.
That was always the danger in not being first to the table, now the Cardinals will have to decide if they want to be near that number or not moving forward with DJ.
What do you think?