My oh my have the tables turned. When it came to this past free agency period for the NFL, paying running backs was one of the bigger topics. Three running backs were premiere backs for their respective organizations and were more than likely going to see higher pay raises.

The three running backs that did receive their pay was Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, and Saquon Barkley. Now, they did get paid by other teams, which good for them. However, their old teams are certainly wishing they made the financial commitments. Here’s how they’ve been this season.

The Big Three

These three are truly the big three. They are the top three rushers in the league. They’ve each managed to be the focal point of the attack for their new teams and have managed to give the offenses a new dynamic feel to it. They truly went ahead and showed the world what they are worth and they are making their old teams miss their presence. Don’t believe me. Let’s take a look.

Saquon Barkley

Nothing in this world was more predictable than knowing that Saquon Barkley was going to light the football field on fire. The moment he signed with the Eagles because the Giants did not want to pay him, you knew he was going to stick it to him. And he has.

Barkley leads the league in rushing yards and also has 6 rushing attempts that have gone 40+ yards. Barkley has ten touchdowns this season and has also been a force in the pass game. Jalen Hurts is thrilled because he has a dynamic weapon in Barkley for the backfield.

The Giants have struggled running the ball. They rank 22nd in rushing yards, but 14th in average rushing yards. Between Tracy and Singletary, they are about 400 yards behind Barkley. That’s painful.

Josh Jacobs

As a Raiders fan, I miss Josh Jacobs. He was one of my favorite running backs coming out of college and watching him succeed was great. Also, his run style was perfect. He was like a bowling ball and his yards after contract was something to admire. Jacobs ran with a purpose and ran the ball with authority. He finally gave the Raiders a running back they’ve been lacking for quite some time. Welp, they probably wish they paid him.

The Raiders have struggled to run the football, ranking at the bottom of the league in rushing yards and yards per carry.  Oddly enough, Jacobs sits third in the league in rushing and has surpassed his totals from last season in two less games and 31 fewer attempts. What a great find by the Packers.

The run blocking for the Raiders is atrocious, but having a player they can rely on would be nice for their backfield.

Derrick Henry

Everyone had their eyes lit wide open when Henry signed with the Baltimore Ravens. Opposing defenses already have to worry about Lamar Jackson running in the backfield and now adding King Henry to the mix made matters only worse. In fact, he has been every bit of what the Ravens acquired and more.

Henry has been a touchdown machine, finding the back of the end zone 13 times which leads the NFL. Also, he has the most 20+ rushing gains and also sits second amongst running backs with 3 40+ rushing yards. Henry has been great and is a huge reason for the Ravens success offensively.

The Titans offense ranks middle of the pack in rush yards. Also, they average 4.3 yards per carry, which isn’t nearly as bad as the Raiders. The Titans offense isn’t the greatest in the league and also saw them trade away DeAndre Hopkins. Yeah, they probably wish they had Henry and his production.

Adding Salt to the Wounds

Between the Ravens, Packers, and Eagles they have a stellar combined record of 25-9. The three running backs have played pivotal roles in their success, so no coincidence there. As for the Raiders, Titans, and Giants, they are a combined 7-26 and are all looking to pick within the top five. The Giants and Raiders sit 1-2 respectively.

All contracts are a gamble, but there’s no denying they wish they ponied up for those players.