Josh Jacobs may have earned a sizable pay-day, but it doesn’t mean the Las Vegas Raiders are paying up.
The deadline to reach a long-term agreement with players who have been franchise tagged has come and gone, and Jacobs remains without a new contract. Try to imagine, if you will: A player at the age of only 25 ends his season as the most productive player at his position, ends each year since coming into the NFL with at least 20 broken tackles and 50 forced missed tackles, and never misses more than three contests in a single campaign. Yet, this player doesn’t receive a second-contract with the very team who drafted him.
The [presumed] reason? This player is a running back, therefore he shouldn’t get paid.
Josh Jacobs didn’t reach a long-term agreement with the Raiders, and running backs league-wide don’t approve
Early this morning, I published a story (found here) on the many ways Las Vegas brutally mismanaged this situation. In this story, I wrote, “The entire league is monitoring [the Jacobs] situation.” Running backs around the NFL proved me right by quickly standing up for their position-mates Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley and Tony Pollard; all franchise tagged players who came out of the deadline without a long-term deal.
Here’s what players at the position had to say on Twitter regarding the Raiders, Giants and Cowboys failures to sign their respective franchised backs.
Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans:
At this point , just take the RB position out the game then . The ones that want to be great & work as hard as they can to give their all to an organization , just seems like it don’t even matter . I’m with every RB that’s fighting to get what they deserve . https://t.co/OgvBWZCKvn
— ?Derrick Henry ?? (@KingHenry_2) July 17, 2023
Austin Ekeler of the Los Angeles Chargers:
This is the kind of trash that has artificially devalued one of the most important positions in the game. Everyone knows it’s tough to win without a top RB and yet they act like we are discardable widgets. I support any RB doing whatever it takes to get his bag. https://t.co/sRYfAKwrpQ
— Austin Ekeler (@AustinEkeler) July 17, 2023
Christian McCaffrey (CMC) of the San Francisco 49ers supporting Barkley, Pollard, and Raiders’ All-Pro Jacobs:
This is Criminal. Three of the best PLAYERS in the entire league, regardless of position. https://t.co/zDXRS5cGdu
— Christian McCaffrey (@CMC_22) July 17, 2023
Najee Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers:
I agree with my running back brothers around the NFL- history will show that you need running backs to win- we set the tone every game and run trough walls for our team and lead in many ways- this notion that we deserve less is a joke. https://t.co/rWJkGIEgmW
— Najee Harris (@ohthatsNajee22) July 17, 2023
Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts:
1. If you’re good enough, they’ll find you.
2. If you work hard enough, you’ll succeed.
…If you succeed…
3. You boost the Organization
…and then…
Doesn’t matter, you’re a RB https://t.co/mG6In1ATGg
— Jonathan Taylor (@JayT23) July 17, 2023
Other players at the position, such as Alvin Kamara and Nick Chubb, endorsed the thoughts above through retweets.
Not only are these the highest-paid running backs, but they’re also the best in the business. They stand tall with the Raiders’ x2 Pro Bowler, and all other backs in Jacobs’ shoes. Jacobs, Barkley and Pollard may be at a disadvantage in their quest to earn their worth, but with the ample support of their position-mates, anything is possible.
Las Vegas can make-right on this situation at the end of the ’23 season, assuming Josh Jacobs has any desire left to remain with the team.
*Top Photo: NBC Sports/Daniel Shirey
The Raider Ramble staff gives their final thoughts on the Las Vegas Raiders, Josh Jacobs situation