The deadline for NFL teams to sign their franchise-tagged players to a contract extension has officially passed.
Evan Engram was able to agree with the Jacksonville Jaguars, signing a three-year deal.
The same cannot be said for the three tagged running backs, however.
Josh Jacobs wasn’t able to strike a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, despite his desire to stay in Las Vegas.
According to Tom Pelissero, Jacobs was waiting in the parking lot with his teammate Maxx Crosby, anticipating a deal.
How close was Josh Jacobs to signing an extension with the #Raiders?
He was sitting in a car in the parking lot of the #Raiders facility with teammate Maxx Crosby at the deadline, ready to sign if it got done.
It didn’t, and now it’s unclear when the rushing champ will return. pic.twitter.com/Ex1JzR1QOt
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 17, 2023
Now that it’s official that a deal hasn’t been struck, as Pelissero reports, Jacobs’ timeline to return to the team is unknown.
He, Saquon Barkley, and Tony Pollard will have decisions to make.
They can either play under the franchise tag, only tying them to their respective teams for the 2023 season, or hold out.
If the previous season’s rushing leader isn’t able to be signed, what does that say about the running back position moving forward?
Jacobs finished the 2022 campaign with 1,653 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
He also added 53 receptions, which resulted in an additional 400 yards of total production to the Raiders offense.
Jacobs and Davante Adams established themselves as the Raiders’ top two options on offense.
Adams signed a lucrative deal with the team, but because of the current state of the position, unfortunately, Jacobs wasn’t able to do the same.
Now that Derek Carr is no longer the Raiders’ quarterback, the offense could encounter some growing pains in year one of a new system.
This could lead to an even more increased workload for Jacobs, giving him a larger chance for injury.
NEXT: NFL Insider Reveals How Close Josh Jacobs Was To Signing New Deal
