The Josh Jacobs contract extension saga is over for now. Jacobs and the Las Vegas Raiders could not agree on a long-term contract before the franchise tag deadline on July 17 at 4 p.m. ET. The star running back’s future is uncertain as he’s yet to sign his franchise tag.
As the first-team All-Pro runner hasn’t yet signed his franchise tenure, he is ineligible to be fined for missing training camp. However, for every regular season contest Jacobs misses, he will sacrifice his corresponding game check.
Josh Jacobs’ production since joining the Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders invested the No. 24 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft to select Josh Jacobs out of Alabama. The Silver and Black likely envisioned Jacobs as the next great running back coming out of the SEC.
Jacobs didn’t require any time to adapt to the NFL. In his first NFL campaign, Jacobs hit the ground running, rushing for 1,150 yards and seven touchdowns in the Silver and Black’s final season in Oakland. The production didn’t go unnoticed, as the Raiders rookie won the 2019 Pro Football Writers of America’s Rookie of the Year award.
The two-time Pro Bowler ensured his rookie season wasn’t a fluke. Jacobs rushed for 1,065 yards and increased his touchdown production to 12 during the 2020 season. While 2021 was a down year in rushing yards (872), the 25-year-old bounced back the following season.
In 2022, Jacobs had his best season with Las Vegas. The Raiders star led the NFL in rushing with 1,653 yards while matching his career-high 12 rushing touchdowns. Although the Silver and Black had a disappointing 2022 season, Jacobs announced himself to the mainstream audience as one of the best running backs in the NFL.
Last season, Jacobs earned first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career. The numbers and individual accomplishments show that the Raiders have a star on their hands, and people on the outside are noticing.
Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, and Nick Chubb might have name recognition around the NFL. However, Jacobs is proving he belongs right there among the best in his position.
*Top photo: Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal
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