The situation between Josh Jacobs and the Las Vegas Raiders is one where neither side particularly wins. On Jacobs’ side, he is not only fighting for himself, but for each and every player at his position who’s been stripped of the pay-day they deserve. However, this fight doesn’t come cheap: if he wishes to take the battle into the regular season, it will cost a pretty penny. Jacobs cannot be fined as he’s not actually under contract, this much is true, but he can’t earn game checks if there are no games to play in.
For the Raiders, they stand without their first-team All-Pro running back who led the NFL in rushing yards one season ago. Jacobs may have not signed his franchise tag, but it doesn’t mean the tag that’s been applied isn’t counting against the team’s salary cap. As it stands, Las Vegas is allocating $10 million of their cap for a player who hasn’t yet agreed to play in 2023.
On the surface, the “solution” may seem clear to Raider Nation: rescind the franchise tag placed upon Jacobs, free up that allocated cap space, and keep the train moving. This would undoubtedly be a hard pillow to swallow, but, as fans often point out, “The NFL is a business.”
While ultimately true, of course, that statement is jam-packed with layers. One such layer is letting your biggest competitors snatch up your best employees, effectively digging yourself deeper into a hole.
Is that good business?
Rival teams are keeping close tabs on the Josh Jacobs, Raiders situation
Naturally, rival teams in the AFC West are interested in this situation. If Josh Jacobs doesn’t sign his tag – or agree to a separate one-year deal – that’ll completely change how clubs league-wide game-plan for Las Vegas’ offense. For inter-division squads, there’s an additional layer here: a possible two-for-one swing where the Raiders lose Jacobs, and they gain him.
Per Pro Football Talk, both the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos are interested in the two-time Pro Bowl running back. If you’re Dave Ziegler, the Silver and Black‘s general manager, this is something you must keep in mind when thoughts of rescinding Jacobs’ tag creep in.
NFL insider Josina Anderson laid it out perfectly on Twitter (or.. X? We’re still not quite sure what to call it).
Food for thought, respectfully: #Raiders are already pocketing the cost/future proration of the tag or an enhanced 1-yr deal as long as it remains unsigned. Also, why consider rescinding the tag & benefit an AFC East suitor? Better to get compensation elsewhere if all else fails. https://t.co/Q0baU3ZDtO
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) August 5, 2023
The Raiders aren’t winning by surrendering cap space to Jacobs while the 25-year-old is simultaneously unsigned. That said, Las Vegas loses even more by rescinding their tag, and watching Jacobs leave to an AFC West rival.
Hopefully, the two sides can get a one-year deal done, soon.
*Top Photo: NBC 3 New/Las Vegas