Alright, let’s talk about the elephant in the room—or rather, the running back in the backfield. As we gear up for Super Bowl LIX, there’s a rumble louder than the roar of the crowd: the debate over what RBs are worth. And the Green Bay Packers‘ star Josh Jacobs is straight-up using Saquon Barkley’s recent Eagles deal as a mic drop moment…

In 2024, Jacobs ranked 6th in the NFL with 1,329 rushing yards and 4th with 15 rushing touchdowns. In his 6-year career so far, he has rushed for 6,874 yards. So, as the team’s one of the best offensive players, what Jacobs says should carry a ton of weight.

The 26-year-old signed a four-year, $48 million contract with the Packers. However, looks like there’s a hint of annoyance coming through. On Wednesday, talking about the running back market, he told Fox News Digital, “C’mon, man, these guys deserve more!”

But Josh isn’t just talking about established players. He’s looking at young guns to open the vault for these game-changers, too. “Those guys are Bijan [Robinson], Jahmyr [Gibbs], and Kyren [Williams]. Their [contract] stuff is coming up,” he said after adding, “I think there’s no way it couldn’t go up, because I feel like the top seven guys right now, three of them got to get paid soon.”

“Obviously, doing what Saquon and Derrick has done. You even see Joe Mixon and what he’s done. I think it’s got to go up…Even with Christian and his extension he got at the beginning of the year, I think it helps the running back market. But seeing what we did, how much we were for our teams, I think the market has to go up.” For the unversed: Christian McCaffrey signed a two-year, $38 million extension with the San Francisco 49ers, becoming the highest-paid running back.

Saquon Barkley, on the other hand, had a stellar first season with the Philadelphia Eagles, where the star player galloped to 2,005 rushing yards and became the ninth player in NFL history to reach that milestone in a single season. Currently on a three-year, $37.75 million contract (including $26 million guaranteed), Barkley also led in carries (345) and yards per game (125.3). Next Gen Stats say Barkley generated +549 rushing yards over expected.

Jacobs is using Barkley’s situation and his own success to make his point. Running backs are game-changing assets, he argues. It’s time for a re-evaluation. It’s a demand for respect. And it’s a signal to the Packers that the running back market is about to explode.

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Interestingly, Jacobs also shared what he thinks the Packers need to reach the Super Bowl!

Josh Jacobs’ take on the missing “pieces” in the team

Running back Jacobs isn’t holding back on what Green Bay needs to be Super Bowl-bound in 2025. Chatting it up on February 5 at Radio Row in New Orleans on 97.3 The Game, Jacobs dropped a truth bomb: the Packers are “three pieces away” from a Super Bowl appearance. He clarified, saying that those pieces could be new faces or current players stepping up their game. After a season that ended with a NFC Wild Card playoff loss to the Eagles, and a 11-6 record, Jacobs knows what’s up!

So, what are these missing pieces? For starters, Jacobs believes the Packers desperately need a true No. 1 wide receiver. “We need a guy who has proven to be a No. 1 already. Someone we know is going to be a little more consistent,” the RB said. This isn’t a knock on the current WR corps, which saw solid contributions from rookies like Jayden Reed. But Jacobs is craving that consistent, established playmaker. The Packers’ offense did rank eighth in the NFL in points per game (27.1), but consistency against top teams was definitely an issue.

The good news? The Packers have plenty of cap space to make some noise this offseason. While GM Brian Gutekunst seems to think they already have some No. 1 potential on the roster, Jacobs is making it clear that proven talent is what’s needed to get over the hump. Jacobs knows big-time players shine in big-time games, and he believes the Packers need a few more to truly contend in 2025. Can they find those pieces and finally conquer the NFC North? Only time will tell!