Former Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon recently raised eyebrows for the lack of NFL free agent offers he has received in this legal tampering period.
Mackinnon was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2014 NFL Draft, rushing for 1,918 yards and seven touchdowns. After bidding adieu to the Vikings, the RB joined the San Francisco 49ers, rushing for 253 yards and one touchdown.
The 30-year-old landed on the Chiefs’ squad back in the 2021 off-season, albeit, he missed a month of the 2021 season due to a hamstring injury and later reunited with the team on a one-year deal.
However, 2022 was a productive year for the halfback as his nine receiving touchdowns in the previous year set a single-season record for RB, breaking the three-way tie of eight previously held by Marshall Faulk, Chuck Foreman, and Leroy Hoard.
What did Jerick McKinnon say regarding the lack of free agency offers?
On April 7, the Chiefs veteran RB Jerick McKinnon took to Twitter to vent his frustrations by cryptically citing the lack of free agency market failing to yield returns.
The disrespect is crazy
— Jerick Mckinnon (@JetMckinnon1) April 7, 2023
The soon-to-be 31-year-old didn’t directly hint at the issue, however, the context can be easily understood by applying some common sense.
McKinnon signed for pennies on the dollar as according to Over the Cap, the veteran RB earned only $1.16 million in 2020 and $1.187 million in 2022, proving again how the running backs are undervalued in the league.
While it’s a tough market currently for running backs, the co-host of the Arrowhead Addict podcast Patrick Allen had something to say regarding Jerick’s scenario citing he possesses all the required qualities in spades to get a call from the Chiefs again.
“I understand teams have to be careful with money and that RBs take punishment and injuries happen. But while certain traits at RB might be ‘a dime a dozen’ in the NFL, not all of them are. Toughness, desire, intelligence, and skill, all of which McKinnon possesses in spades. I’d take McKinnon back on the Chiefs in a heartbeat and I’d pay a reasonable premium to make it happen”, he tweeted.
As of now, the Chiefs RB is still waiting for a new NFL team to sign him, and fans and fellow players alike are keeping an eye on his situation, hoping to see the talented running back on the field soon.
His candid tweets have sparked a conversation about the challenges the free agents face in the league and have brought attention to the need for more opportunities and fairness in the NFL free agency market.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/JBAWURBEFFEAPDEYNWQU3AQZG4.jpg)
Despite the lack of interest, he has experienced in free agency, McKinnon remains determined to continue his NFL career and make a meaningful contribution to a team in need of his skill set.
Which team do you think should pursue McKinnon? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
