None of the three franchise-tagged running backs — Giants RB Saquon Barkley, Raiders RB Josh Jacobs and Cowboys RB Tony Pollard — reached contract extensions before today’s 4 PM deadline.
All three will now have to play out the 2023 season under the $10.09 million fully guaranteed tag. They can resume extension talks after the regular season ends.
Pollard has already signed his tag and all indications are that he plans to report to training camp as normal. Both Barkley and Jacobs seem to be seriously considering a holdout for all of training camp, and potentially into the regular season.
Barkley, 26, was the second-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was entering the fourth year of a four-year, $31.19 million rookie deal with the Giants that included a $20.767 million signing bonus when the Giants picked up his fifth-year option.
Barkley’s fifth-year option cost the Giants $7.22 million fully guaranteed for the 2022 season. He was set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2023 when he was franchised at a sum of $10.09 million fully guaranteed.
In 2022, Barkley appeared in 16 games for the Giants and rushed for 1,312 yards on 295 carries (4.4 YPC) and 10 touchdowns to go along with 57 receptions on 76 targets for 338 yards receiving.
Jacobs, 25, was selected with the No. 24 overall pick by the Raiders out of Alabama in 2019. He later agreed to a four-year, $11,933,394 rookie contract that included a $6,698,832 signing bonus.
Las Vegas declined Jacobs’ fifth-year options ahead of the 2022 season, which set him up to be an unrestricted free agent in 2023. The team then used the franchise tag on Jacobs worth $10.09 million fully guaranteed for the 2023 season this offseason.
In 2022, Jacobs appeared in all 17 games for the Raiders and rushed for 1,653 yards on 340 carries (4.9 YPC) to go along with 53 receptions for 400 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns.
Pollard, 25, was a fourth-round pick by the Cowboys out of Memphis in the 2019 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year, $3,187,780 rookie contract with the team, including a $667,780 signing bonus, $667,780 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $796,945.
He was set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason when the Cowboys placed the franchise tag on him worth $10.09 million guaranteed. Pollard will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
In 2022, Pollard appeared in 16 games for the Cowboys and rushed 193 times for 1,007 yards (5.2 YPC) and nine touchdowns. He also caught 39 passes for 371 yards and three touchdowns.
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