Decision time for the Las Vegas Raiders with regard to Josh Jacobs will soon be here. The question is: will they pony up for the All-Pro? Backing up a Brinks truck for a running back isn’t seen as smart business for some, but Jacobs might be an exception. Let’s face it, the Raiders have taken a number of public relations blows this season. Whether it was the handling of Derek Carr’s benching or reports of Mark Davis’s wealth, losing Jacobs could be the final nail in the coffin for some fans. Well, to be fair, some fans have already given up on this current regime.
Jacobs himself has been humble from the outset. However, even he knows his worth and has made it known that a deal “has to make sense.” If that’s the case, will the franchise tag make sense for Jacobs? It’s an unfortunate position for Jacobs to be in right now. The first domino, with Carr’s eventual exit, has fallen, but it appears teams are still waiting to see what happens with Aaron Rodgers and Jimmy Garoppolo. Jacobs is a foundational piece, but so was Carr, and we’ve seen how that went down.
With so many holes on defense and the likelihood that the Raiders will have to spend on a quarterback such as “Jimmy G,” it could leave Jacobs shortchanged. Let’s be clear: Jacobs was the best running back in the league last year and deserves to be paid as such. Nevertheless, a franchise tag of roughly $10 million could await Jacobs, as Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton pointed out recently.
Alas, not all is gloom and doom for the Silver and Black. Jacobs himself has said he’d play on a one-year deal. That’s if (and this is a big if) the Raiders can assemble a formidable supporting cast around No. 28.
Raiders RB Josh Jacobs told us he’d be ok to play on the franchise tag but only if the team loaded up at all other positions and added players around him. But “If you want me to come back as the hero, you better pay me like a hero.” pic.twitter.com/AWx0PJE7LF
— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) February 9, 2023
It’s certainly looking like the Raiders won’t break the bank for Jacobs. Even so, Josh Jacobs is proving that he wants to win more than anything else. On top of that, the Alabama product truly wants to be a Raider for life. It goes without saying that the Raiders’ brass can’t afford to screw this up.
*Top Photo: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports