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Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL believes Cole Kmet is worth more than Saquon Barkley — and that’s the problem

By Vinny Somma | Last updated 7/28/23

The NFL has a running back problem — although it has nothing to do with production.

Six running backs finished within the top 10 of the NFL in yards from scrimmage this past season, while eight running backs ranked among the top-11 players in total touchdowns. However, despite the lofty statistical output from the position across the league, their compensation continues not to align.

As Los Angeles Chargers star Austin Ekeler — who has led the NFL in total touchdowns over the past two seasons — stated on Thursday, "We're the only position right now that seems to be getting punished for our production."

"We're not just numbers on page, we're actual players."

Austin Ekeler talking about the RB situation

(via @joereedy)pic.twitter.com/95ftjMqph1
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) July 27, 2023

Atlanta Falcons rookie Bijan Robinson currently paces the position in total cash, as the No. 8 overall pick from the 2023 NFL draft will earn $13.7M in total cash this coming season, via Spotrac . The next highest earning player on the list is San Francisco 49ers dual-threat weapon Christian McCaffrey, whose $12M in yearly cash is tied for 150th-most in the NFL among all positions — which is now less than tight end Cole Kmet.

On Thursday, the Chicago Bears signed Kmet to a four-year, $50M extension. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Field Yates, the deal contains $32.8M guaranteed and $20M in new first-year money. Kmet's average salary checks in at $12.5M.

The fact that Cole Kmet is making more than almost every running back in football is exactly why Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley are pissed https://t.co/yO4YtAgNF4
— Jarrett Bailey (@JBaileyNFL) July 27, 2023

Kmet is a promising talent who flashed as a go-to target for quarterback Justin Fields last season, hauling in a career-high seven touchdowns. The thing is, he's just that — a promising talent.

While it's crucial for a franchise to open up its checkbook for players presenting an upward trajectory, said players are being compensated exponentially more than proven commodities at the running back position who remain in their prime.

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley and Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs each finished the 2022 season within the top four in rushing yards. Yet despite their production and the fact that each player is just 26 years old or younger, both failed to land long-term contracts this offseason.

Saquon Barkley on why sitting out didn’t make sense for him

I’m not going to read into the fact that he mentioned $15M per year. Not going to do that at all. pic.twitter.com/lA1rX1QF27
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) July 28, 2023

Barkley ultimately settled to sign an adjusted franchise tag worth $10.1M with $909K in available incentives and a $2M signing bonus. Barkley's $10.1M deal makes him the NFL's 208th highest-paid player in football based on average salary.

Barkley is one of the NFL's most dominant skill players. A two-time Pro Bowler, Barkley notched a career-high 1,312 rushing yards in 2022. Over his 60 career regular-season appearances, Barkley has found the endzone 37 times.

In comparison, the 24-year-old Kmet has totaled nine touchdowns in 50 career regular-season appearances and has yet to eclipse 60 receptions in a season. As for Barkley, the Penn State product has averaged 60.2 receptions over his four healthy seasons on top of his dominant usage in the run game.

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