NFL rushing title race trends and franchise tag mechanics

The rushing title race

Derrick Henry ranks among the league leaders in rushing and scoring this season. At 30 years old, Henry signed a two-year, $16-million contract to join the Baltimore Ravens. He provides balance to an offense that lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in last season’s AFC Championship game. His production challenges the idea that teams should avoid investing in running backs aged 30 or older. In 2025, Henry recorded 1,595 rushing yards on 307 carries and scored 16 touchdowns. This followed a 1,921-yard campaign in 2024 where he had 325 carries. He has amassed 11,423 career rushing yards and 106 touchdowns. He needs 577 yards to join the exclusive club of players with 12,000 career rushing yards. The non-exclusive franchise tag allows a player to negotiate with other teams, but the original team retains the right of first refusal and can claim two first-round picks if they choose not to match a new offer. Saquon Barkley also defies the theory that superstar running backs lack positional value. He leads the league in rushing and recently completed a 255-yard rushing day. Barkley is on pace to join Henry as a 2,000-yard rusher this season. He signed a contract extension worth $41.2 million in March. The race for the rushing title remains tight with Jonathan Taylor, James Cook, and Jahmyr Gibbs also contending. Henry, Taylor, and Cook finished first, second, and third in 2025 rushing yards, respectively.

Eagles red-zone dynamics

The Philadelphia Eagles rely on Saquon Barkley to drive their offense. Barkley has 182 rushing yards on 36 carries this season. He also recently caught a 47-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts to give the Eagles a 17-3 lead. Barkley’s performance helped secure a seven-game win streak for Philadelphia. You should notice how the Eagles utilize Barkley compared to DeVonta Smith, who has seen 41 red-zone targets.

Barkley’s success continues despite varying usage. While Barkley leads the league in rushing, his 3.0 yard-per-carry mark against the Jets was not ideal. Jalen Hurts completed 16 of 23 passes for 212 yards during that same contest. Other Eagles players also receive red-zone looks, such as Will Shipley and Zach Ertz, who have 8 targets each. Shipley has 57 rushing yards on 20 carries, while Ertz has 0 rushing yards. Barkley maintains his dominance despite these teammates. Will Henry’s workload continue to escalate as the season progresses?

Franchise tag mechanics

Management uses the franchise tag to control the open market. For the 2026 season, the franchise tag for running backs costs $14,293,000. The transition tag for the same position costs $11,323,000. A player receiving the non-exclusive tag can negotiate with other teams. If a new team signs that player, the original team holds the right of first refusal. If they decline to match the offer, they receive draft-choice compensation equivalent to two first-round picks. A designated player must sign his tender before the Tuesday following Week 10 to remain eligible. The salary for the tag is the greater of the Cap Percentage Average for his position or 120 percent of his Prior Year Salary. For the transition tag, the salary is the greater of the Cap Percentage Average of the top 10 greatest PYS at the player’s position or 120 percent of his own PYS. Teams and players can sign multi-year extensions until July 15.

Will the rising salary cap continue to favor premier free agents?