The Las Vegas Raiders want to start NFL free agency by announcing they have a deal with star free agent running back Josh Jacobs. However, after having several years to get a long-term extension done with the Pro Bowl back, it seems as though Jacobs is ready for a change of scenery.
“The #Raiders have been attempting to re-sign Josh Jacobs, per sources, but this late in the game he appears headed for the open market at noon,” ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler tweeted on Monday. “Saquon Barkley and Jacobs could go off the board fairly early.”
While the Raiders might want Jacobs back in the fold, not having him next season will be their own fault if it happens.
As a first-round pick in 2019, the Raiders initially got Jacobs on a four-year deal, However, they could have exercised his fifth-year option to keep him on a reasonable deal in 2022, but declined it the previous offseason.
The Raiders instead had to use the franchise tag on Jacobs last season before signing him to a one-year deal. This season, they could have used the tag again but declined.
After Jacobs’ training camp holdout last season, he struggled early and only put up 805 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 2023. That was half of his 2022 totals when he led the league in rushing with 1,653 yards and scored 12 touchdowns.
While NFL teams have been holding a hard line with paying their veteran running backs, NFL free agency in 2024 will test this process. With Jacobs and Barkley set to become unrestricted free agents, the types of deals they get will be fascinating and will re-set the RB market moving forward.
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