Getty Raiders RB Josh Jacobs.
The season may not have ended perfectly for Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, but despite missing three of the last four games, the team saw enough to know that he’s a future star. With the offseason here, Jacobs has found ways to stay busy. Most recently, he was seen buying his father a house.
If that wasn’t enough, the running back hinted at some exciting things coming out in the future on Instagram.
InstagramPost from Josh Jacobs’ Instagram Story.
It’s anybody’s guess what exactly Jacobs is working on. He’s proven to be quite a star with endorsements and potential movie deals. He’s even filmed commercials with NFL legend Peyton Manning. Considering Jacobs went from third-string running back to potential Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate is quite the accomplishment and it looks like he’s just getting started.
Is Josh Jacobs Still OROY?
13 weeks through the season, it looked Offensive Rookie of the Year was Jacobs’ award to lose. He was one of the most productive running backs in the NFL and should’ve been selected to the Pro Bowl. However, he revealed that he broke his shoulder in Week 7 versus the Green Bay Packers and then missed three of the last four games of the season.
Despite missing those games, Jacobs accumulated 1,150 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. He’s the only Raiders rookie to rush for over 1,000 yards and was named Offensive Rookie of the Month on two occasions. Even with all those accomplishments, there’s been a groundswell of support for Tennesse Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown to win the award. Brown played more games than Jacobs and still didn’t accumulate as strong of numbers. It’s looking like Jacobs’ time out may seriously hurt his chances at winning the award.
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Who Will Be Jacobs’ Backup in 2020?
As great as Jacobs was in 2019, the Raiders need to secure a strong backup. Like it or not, Jacobs has dealt with a number of injuries throughout his football career. Jon Gruden is known for giving his running back’s a heavy workload, so it might be in the team’s best interest to ensure there’s a more than capable backup for Jacobs.
DeAndre Washington was strong as a replacement, but he’s a free agent. The team could easily re-sign him, but he could leave to another team where his role will be bigger. Jalen Richard is also a free agent and while he’s proven to be an excellent receiver, he’s never shown that he can be a consistent threat as a rusher. The Raiders signed Isaiah Crowell to a one-year deal, but he was quickly injured shortly after signing. He has nothing tying him to the silver and black for 2020.
The team could look to the draft for a Jacobs sidekick. Who better than his former teammate at Alabama Najee Harris? Walter Football projects Harris to land between the second and fourth rounds of the draft. There’s no way the Raiders are taking a running back in the first round two years in a row. That said, they have three third-round picks and if Harris is there, the team should consider pairing him with Jacobs.
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