Recently, a number of the league’s top RBs met on a Zoom call to discuss their declining market value. Besides punters and kickers, RBs have the smallest franchise tag of any position. That’s why Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs were holding out and would not sign the franchise tag for $10.1 million. 

However, Barkley and the Giants were able to strike a deal. On the Rich Eisen Show, NFL insider Mike Garafolo reported that Josh Jacobs was offered a deal worth $12 million a year. He turned that down and remains in a holdout. That $12 million per year deal is more than what Barkley signed for. Jacobs could potentially sit out all of training camp and not show up until a week before the season starts.

Josh Jacobs remains in a holdout with the Raiders after being offered a deal worth $12 million a year

Report: #Raiders made a $12 million a year offer to RB Josh Jacobs, per @MikeGarafolo

More here:https://t.co/ypF3btg8Q8 pic.twitter.com/SJ3CsszqVT

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) July 27, 2023

Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs were in similar situations this off-season. Both players are Top RBs in the NFL, but their market value is extremely low. That’s why the two Pro Bowl RBs were franchise tagged by their respective teams this offseason. The franchise tag for RBs is $10.1 million and a number of players around the league have voiced their opinions of how that number is too low.

On Tuesday morning before the start of training camp, it was announced that Saquon Barkley signed a one-year, $11 million deal with the Giants. While Barkley is signed for training camp, Josh Jacobs still remains unsigned. Mike Garafolo noted that Jacobs left Las Vegas earlier this week after contract negotiations failed. The $12 million they offered for 2023 is not enough for Jacobs.

With Raiders RB Josh Jacobs not reporting to camp, second-year back Zamir White is expected to see a lot of action. #RaidersNation #TrainingCamp pic.twitter.com/Tldrdmoavz

— JOSE ALVARES (@Alvaresjose11) July 26, 2023

In 2022, Josh Jacobs led the NFL in rushing yards (1,653) and yards per game (97.2). His dominant effort earned him his first-ever first-team All-Pro honors. After the seasons he had with the Raiders, Jacobs values himself as one of the best RBs in the NFL. The market value for his position says otherwise. The highest-paid RB in the league, Christian McCaffrey, makes $16 million annually. Jacobs wants to be paid like one of the best players in his position, but the Raiders haven’t offered more than $12 million for 2023. He’ll remain in a holdout until then.