ok thanks jeltzz. I'm many years out of touch with the game. I followed it as a primary-school kid in Canada and at that age it seemed the running backs had the second-highest profile after the QBs. Those big behemoths in the defensive and offensive lines didn't do it for me....I was more into watching Walter Payton, Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson those sort of guys....they'd find the gaps and bust up the field...I loved it.
Makes sense that the guy who protects the most important guy (QB) should be highly regarded in terms of pay.