Why the Bears Won't Be Happy With the Todd Gurley Extension

The Chicago Bears don't have any immediate contract issues to worry about, but that doesn't mean they aren't thinking about the future. Eddie Goldman is probably their most notable focus at the moment, but it won't be long before the best player on the team will start to expect a new contract. Jordan Howard won't want to live on fifth round pick money for much longer, and Todd Gurley may have just changed things. The Los Angeles Rams running back broke the glass ceiling on Tuesday when he inked a brand new contract worth upwards of $60 million in four seasons. This averages out to $15 million a year. To understand how earth shattering that is to the running back pay structure, recall that the highest-paid back before him was Devonta Freeman of the Falcon. He was making just over $8 million a year. That means Gurley has completely reset the pay expectations for top running backs in the NFL. Not surprising after his 2017 season where he had 2,093 total yards and 19 touchdowns. Guys like Le'Veon Bell, David Johnson, and Ezekiel Elliott now have a chance to cash in big within the next couple years. Depending on how things go this season, Howard may be able to do the same.

Jordan Howard can cash in if he improves his versatility in 2018

Howard will say that his tireless hard work to improve as a pass catcher this coming season is for the betterment of the Bears offense. There is plenty of truth in that, but it's not the entire story. He knows that teams around the league see him as more of a pure runner. He's excellent taking handoffs and grinding defenses down, but there's a limit to his usefulness in a system because he can't be a threat in the passing game. If he can change that perception this year, it will add zeroes onto to his next contract. Howard is already one of the best runners in the game. He's gone over 1,100 yards in back-to-back years and sits in the top six among all backs during that span. The arrival of Matt Nagy as head coach could be the big break he's been waiting for.

Last season alone, Nagy targeted running backs 97 times in the passing game as offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs. It is an extensive part of his system, which features heavy influences from the class West Coast offense that made throwing to the backs famous back in the 1980s. Signs in training camp signal that Howard' efforts to improve his pass catching are bearing fruit. He's only had one notable drop and that was on a pass that was difficult to begin with. Otherwise, he's been consistently reliable. If things come together as hoped, 2018 could end up being a career year for the 23-year old. This will be great news for the Bears on the field, but it will mean more money they'll have to pay when his contract becomes a central issue in 2019.