After leading the NFL in rushing in 2022, running back Josh Jacobs sounds ready for another all-star season in 2023, telling Paloma Villicana of KVVU-TV in Las Vegas he feels “explosive.”

But Villicana also reported that if Jacobs doesn’t have a long-term contract by 3 p.m. CDT Monday, the former Alabama ball-carrier won’t report to training camp with the rest of the Las Vegas Raiders’ veterans on July 25.

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Players who miss training camp can be fined up to $50,000 per day. But the Raiders cannot fine Jacobs because, while Las Vegas is holding the franchise tag over his head, he has not signed the tender, meaning he is not under contract with the team.

Las Vegas had the opportunity to lock up Jacobs for the 2023 season last offseason. But the Raiders declined to pick up their option for a fifth season on his rookie contract, which would have committed Las Vegas to paying Jacobs $8.034 for the 2023 campaign.

Jacobs responded by running for a league-leading 1,653 yards. Twelve of his 340 carries ended in the end zone, and he also caught 53 passes for 400 yards in 2022.

To keep Jacobs from becoming an unrestricted free agent in March, the Raiders used their 2023 franchise tag this offseason. Jacobs did not want to be tagged. He hoped to work out a long-term contract with the Raiders. And if that didn’t happen, free agency could have delivered one with another team.

The tag obligated Las Vegas to pay Jacobs $10.091 million for the 2023 season. The tag also gave the Raiders until 3 p.m. Monday to work out a multi-year contract with Jacobs.

If the deal isn’t done by then, only a one-year contract can be offered, which usually means signing the tag tender to play.

If the deadline passes without a contract extension, Jacobs will have to play for the Raiders on a one-year contract or not play at all in 2023 – with one exception. Las Vegas could rescind the franchise tag, because Jacobs hasn’t signed it, and turn the running back into a free agent.

Among the free-agent running backs already in need of contracts for the 2023 season are former Pro Bowlers Dalvin Cook, Ezekiel Elliott and Kareem Hunt, and the New York Giants and Saquon Barkley are in the same situation as the Raiders and Jacobs.

Jacobs skipped the Raiders’ offseason program, which is voluntary except for the three-day mandatory minicamp, which Jacobs also missed. Las Vegas could not fine Jacobs for that, though, since he is not under contract.

Whatever happens with Jacobs and the Raiders before the season kicks off on Sept. 10 against the Denver Broncos, the running back thinks he is primed for another strong season.

“I think this is the first year where I actually went into the offseason just feeling great, not because of what I achieved but body-wise,” Jacobs said. “I didn’t have no nicks and bruises at the end of the year, so the whole offseason I didn’t have to do no rehabs or anything. I was just training, so I just feel good. Coming into the year, I feel explosive.”

Jacobs earned first-team All-Pro recognition and his second Pro Bowl invitation in 2022.

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Jacobs has reached 1,000 rushing yards in three of his four seasons since joining the Raiders from Alabama as the 24th selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. 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.