While the Oakland Raiders likely won’t make the postseason, there are still some positives to take away from the season, with the main one being the production they have gotten from young players.
The 2019 rookie class may be a transformative one for the Raiders organization, and perhaps the best of the bunch is running back Josh Jacobs.
Jacobs has been Oakland’s best offensive playmaker, rushing for 1,061 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 4.9 yards per carry in 12 games. He has also contributed 18 receptions for 146 yards.
To make those statistics more impressive, Jacobs has been playing with a fractured shoulder for the last couple of months. The shoulder injury finally got the best of him in Week 14 as he was forced to miss the first game of his career in the loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Jacobs is expected to return to the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15. It may make more sense to shut the rookie down so he can get healthy with the playoffs likely no longer being an option, but with this weekend being the last ever game in Oakland, Jacobs will try to give it a go.
There is some good news in regard to the shoulder injury he is dealing with though as he revealed that he will not require surgery, just rest, after the season ends, via Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle:
“But I know it’s something that I won’t need to have surgery on. So that’s a positive note. After the season I’ll probably have to sit, like, for a month and a half and just let it heal. So we’ll see.”
While this is good news, Raider Nation will be forced to hold their collective breaths the rest of the season if he plays, hoping that Jacobs does not take a hit that makes his shoulder worse.
It is cool that the Oakland fans will be able to see Jacobs perform one last time though as he will likely try to put on a show against Jacksonville to help the Raiders leave town with one final win.
