Running back Josh Jacobs wanted to work out a new contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. He didn’t want the NFL team to use its franchise tag on him.

But with the deadline for applying the franchise tag arriving at 3 p.m. CST Tuesday and no contract agreement with the NFL’s 2022 rushing leader, the Raiders applied the tag on Monday – with no public announcement; just a line on the league’s transactions report for the day.

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Jacobs still could get the long-term contract that he wants from the Raiders. But when asked at the Pro Bowl Games how he would feel about being kept out of free agency by the franchise tag, the former Alabama ball-carrier told the Athletic’s Tashan Reed: “Ooh, hero turned villain. Hero turned villain, man.”

Jacobs signed a four-year, $11.933 million contract after the Raiders made him the 24th selection in the 2019 NFL Draft.

That contract expires at 3 p.m. CDT March 15. By using its franchise tag on Jacobs, Las Vegas prevented him from becoming an unrestricted free agent able to sign with any team after that time.

Under the tag, Jacobs still can talk to other teams, but if he reaches a contract agreement with one, the Raiders have the option to match the offer and keep the running back or receive two first-round draft picks from Jacobs’ new team for losing him. That’s a deterrent that will prevent Jacobs from entertaining contract proposals from other teams.

The tag also obligates the Raiders to paying Jacobs $10.91 million for the 2023 season. The franchise-tag value for running backs is the lowest for any non-specialist position.

On the open market, Jacobs could expect a four-year, $51.41 million contract, the sports-financial website spotrac.com estimated.

Jacobs still could get a contract like that from the Raiders. By applying the franchise tag, Las Vegas extended its time to work out a new deal with the running back from nine days to 133.

If Jacobs and the Raiders don’t have a contract extension in place by July 17, he will play the 2023 season on the one-year franchise-tag deal or he won’t play at all.

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Jacobs led the NFL in rushing yards and yards from scrimmage during the 2022 season, when he ran for 1,653 yards and 12 touchdowns on 340 carries and caught 53 passes for 400 yards.

For his performance, Jacobs was the first-team All-Pro running back and earned his second Pro Bowl recognition.

Jacobs has reached 1,000 rushing yards in three of his four seasons. He has 4,740 yards and 40 touchdowns on 1,072 rushing attempts and 160 receptions for 1,152 yards during his four NFL seasons.

Jacobs is the 12th player in NFL history to reach those three rushing statistics in his first four seasons. Of the previous 11, eight are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and two are not eligible for consideration yet.

Only eight other players in NFL history have had as many rushing attempts and receptions in their first four seasons as Jacobs has had.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.