Should Raiders move on from former All-Pro RB after underwhelming season?
After he led the league in rushing yards in 2022, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs backtracked, raising questions about his future with Las Vegas.
The former first-team All-Pro had career lows in rushing yards (805), rushing TDs (six) and yards per carry (3.5). He also missed the final four games of the season with a quadriceps injury. Despite the underwhelming season, ESPN's Paul Gutierrez noted he's "a favorite" of owner Mark Davis and new head coach Antonio Pierce, meaning the organization might re-sign him.
To be fair to Jacobs, his play improved after the Raiders fired Josh McDaniels. In five games under Pierce, he averaged 79.4 rushing yards per game and ran for three TDs.
However, second-year RB Zamir White filled in for the 25-year-old and looked solid. During this stretch, he averaged 99.3 rushing yards per game, scored one TD and caught nine passes for 60 yards.
White — a former fourth-round pick — is entering the third year of a four-year, $4.4M contract, while Jacobs' market value is a four-year deal worth $10.6M annually, seventh at his position. Given his regression and durability concerns, the Raiders shouldn't reward him with a massive extension.
Jacobs held out of training camp and the preseason after the Las Vegas franchise tagged him last season, but it should consider doing this again. Using the tag for a second consecutive year costs 120 percent of the player's salary from the previous season. The RB's 2023 base salary was $7.59M. Spotrac estimates that the Raiders have $43.37M in cap space, so they can afford this.
The disappointing season might motivate Jacobs, helping him rebound. If he fails to bounce back, the Raiders have another back they can depend on in White.
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