Thurman Thomas' voice rose with a bubbling intensity, expressing dismay over how the running back position has depreciated in value in today's NFL.

It's bad enough for the Hall of Famer to see how disposable the game's top running backs have become, with Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry all changing teams within the past three years.

And don't get Thomas started on salaries. In 1993, he signed a four-year, $13.5 contract extension that made him and edge rusher Bruce Smith the Buffalo Bills' highest-paid players annually, making $275,000 per year more than quarterback Jim Kelly.

Rather than rewarding running backs for production once their rookie contracts expire, as happens at almost every other position, the NFL's 1991 MVP complained teams are instead letting them

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