NFL teams placed the franchise tag on three running backs in March to keep them from becoming unrestricted free agents. The maneuver also gave each club four months to work out a multi-year contract with its top ball-carrier.

But the deadline to accomplish that passed on Monday afternoon without the New York Giants’ Saquon Barkley, Las Vegas Raiders’ Josh Jacobs or Dallas Cowboys’ Tony Pollard getting a new deal.

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Around the NFL, running backs took it as the latest in what they see as a series of slights and insults to their position.

“At this point, just take the RB position out the game then,” the Tennessee Titans’ Derrick Henry said via Twitter. “The ones that want to be great and work as hard as they can to give their all to an organization, just seems like it don’t even matter. I’m with every RB that’s fighting to get what they deserve.”

Another former Alabama All-American also weighed in through Twitter.

“I agree with my running back brothers around the NFL,” the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Najee Harris wrote. “History will show that you need running backs to win. We set the tone every game and run through walls for our team and lead in many ways. This notion that we deserve less is a joke.”

The franchise-tagged running backs are on course to play the 2023 season for $10.091 million – if they choose to play. Pollard signed his tender for that amount; Barkley and Jacobs have not.

The three running backs were hoping to get long-term deals worked out with their teams – right up to the last minute, apparently. NFL Network reported Jacobs was parked at the Raiders’ facility right up until the deadline on Monday just in case a breakthrough happened in contract negotiations and he could sign. But they might not have gotten more money in 2023 even if they had become free agents.

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The list of running backs without a job as players begin reporting for training camp this week include Dalvin Cook, Kenyan Drake, Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette and Kareem Hunt.

The best-paid running back in 2023 could turn out to be the Atlanta Falcons’ Bijan Robinson, who’s never played a snap in the NFL. The eighth pick of the NFL Draft on April 27, Robinson will be paid $13.72 million this season because of the $12.97 million signing bonus in his rookie contract. But the best-paid running back ranks only 112th among all NFL players in 2023.

The biggest contract for a running back belongs to Alvin Kamara at $75 million over five seasons. Sixty-three NFL playershave deals of greater value.

“I have previously mentioned, as running backs, we should have our own union and (collective bargaining agreement)!” tweeted Mark Ingram, an Alabama All-American who is headed into TV after 12 seasons as an NFL running back. “It is becoming truer by the day. It is a shame what is happening to the RBeasts around the league! I stand with my brothers and will support anyway I can! #SaveTheRunningBack”

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