Coming into this season, one of the biggest questions surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders’ roster was about the future of running back Josh Jacobs. While Jacobs had been solid in his first three seasons with the franchise, it was unclear whether he was truly a piece the team felt they could build around.
The fact that the Raiders chose not to pick up Jacobs’ fifth-year option seemed to indicate that maybe he wouldn’t be around for much longer, with some even speculating that he could be traded before or during the season. But obviously, that didn’t happen as Jacobs would put together his best season as a pro, leading the NFL with 1,653 yards to go along with 12 rushing touchdowns and being named to his second career Pro Bowl.
Now with the Raiders season over and Jacobs being a free agent, the question is whether Jacobs will be back in silver and black next season. According to Paul Gutierrez of ESPN, if it is up to Jacobs himself, he will remain with the Raiders moving forward:
“For me, it’s got to make sense,” he said, referencing a potential new contract, meaning, dollars and cents.
“But this is obviously where I want to be. Coming in, I remember sitting down with [defensive end] Maxx [Crosby] and all these guys and talking about the Raiders organization and the culture and wanting to be part of the change. I still feel that way so, hopefully, I’ll be back.”
What it will cost to keep Jacobs around is the question now with the offseason approaching. It would make sense for Jacobs to expect to be at least in the $12 million per year range that the likes of Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry are currently commanding. And there is also the possibility of the Raiders using the franchise tag on the back as well.
Current projections would place the franchise tag for a running back at around $10 million this season, which might be something that the Raiders prefer. But Jacobs, of course, is looking for that long-term security, especially coming off a season like the one he just had.
If both sides are truly committed to that long-term deal, they will be able to work out a new contract that appeases both the Raiders and Jacobs. Despite their 6-11 record, the Raiders could be a couple of moves away from being a contender, and Josh Jacobs has proven himself to be someone worth keeping around for the future.
