Could the Houston Texans take a big swing on Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs in free agency?
Based on how the Texans’ rushing attack looked this past season, it would make sense.
While Houston’s offense was pretty good as a whole, ranking 12th in the NFL thanks to C.J. Stroud’s brilliance under center, its ground game left much to be desired, as the Texans’ finished 23rd in the league in rushing offense.
Given Houston’s backfield personnel, it does not come as too much of a surprise, as it employed the decent-but-not-great Devin Singletary as its featured back.
The Texans have expansive cap room heading into the offseason, so they will have plenty of money to play with going into free agency. That’s why Jacobs is certainly a realistic target for the club, and Ben Solak of The Ringer has Jacobs to Houston listed as one of his dream scenarios.
It should be noted that Jacobs struggled mightily in 2023, as injuries limited him to 13 games and he rushed for just 805 yards and six touchdowns while averaging a meager 3.5 yards per carry. He added 37 catches for 296 yards.
However, the 26-year-old is just two years removed from leading the NFL in rushing, racking up 1,653 yards to go along with 12 scores and a robust 4.9 yards per attempt in 2022.
Jacobs, who played his collegiate football at the University of Alabama, was selected by the Raiders with the 24th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.
While he has logged three 1,000-yard campaigns in five years, consistency has not exactly been his hallmark, particularly when it comes to efficiency.
Jacobs lays claim to a rather pedestrian career average of 4.2 yards per tote, but he has finished just under five yards per carry twice, so he has it in him.
The question is, can the Tulsa, Ok. native develop consistency in Houston?
If the Texans sign Josh Jacobs and get the 2022 version of him, the AFC should be on high alert.
More must-reads: