The Las Vegas Raiders could look very different in 2024 as the franchise settled on a new head coach in Antonio Pierce.
Pierce earned the job after leading the Raiders to a 5-4 record during his nine-game stint as the interim head coach during the 2023 season and will have input on the final 53-man roster. Along with Pierce, Las Vegas also brought in Tom Telesco to be their new general manager.
With Pierce and Telesco on board, the Raiders have the decision-makers in place to figure out how to get the roster to a place where they can compete with the rest of the league. By all accounts, Pierce wants his team to play fast, physical, and aggressive, and the Raiders will surely use free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft to find players who fit that mold.
However, Las Vegas also has decisions to make on their own free agents, and they are reportedly looking to re-sign star running back Josh Jacobs via Adam Schefter of ESPN:
The Raiders will attempt to re-sign free-agent-to-be running back Josh Jacobs, but they are not expected to tag him, not with his franchise tag costing $14,149,200, according to league sources. pic.twitter.com/bBSHXtzg7i
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 26, 2024
The Raiders and Jacobs tried to reach an agreement on a long-term extension, but the two sides failed to come to terms on a dollar amount. Jacobs would go on to hold out from the team for most of the summer before agreeing to a one-year deal before the start of the 2023 season.
After leading the league in rushing in 2022, Jacobs had a down year by his standards as he recorded 805 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 13 games played. He added 37 receptions for 296 yards but no touchdowns.
Re-signing Jacobs would go a long way in helping whichever quarterback the Raiders decide to bring in, as well as preserve some continuity on the offensive end. The running back market will likely be tough again this offseason, it’ll be interesting to see if Las Vegas and Jacobs can agree on a new contract this time around.
Raiders appear set to part ways with Hunter Renfrow
The old guard of players for the Raiders could find themselves on the way out as new regimes typically like to start fresh and rebuild rosters. One player that could be gone this offseason is Hunter Renfrow, as the team has reportedly tried to trade him but could just cut him to clear salary cap space.
