Lamar Jackson’s next contract doesn’t have to be the focal point of the Baltimore Ravens’ strategy for free agency. Not if there’s a chance to sign the top running back on the market.
Josh Jacobs has played his way into his own bumper payday during a stellar campaign with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Ravens may not look like a strong candidate to cough up the cash for Jacobs, but one NFL writer thinks player and team are an “appealing” fit.
Ravens Have the Right Offense for Bluechip Workhorse
Few teams commit to the running game as heartily as the Ravens. Only the Chicago Bears have rushed for more than the Ravens’ 2,306 yards.
The Philadelphia Eagles aren’t too far behind, having amassed 2,220 yards on the ground, and Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon thinks the idea of Jacobs joining either team “is appealing as well.”
It’s a fascinating idea because the Ravens have the right run-heavy scheme for Jacobs. What’s remarkable about the Ravens’ continued success running the ball is how they’ve managed it without a true, bluechip workhorse in the backfield.
Jacobs more than qualifies, having rushed for a career-high 1,495 yards this year. His 5.1-yards per carry average is also a career-best tally.
What’s most impressive about Jacobs is how he continues to be a volume runner. He’s carried the ball 291 times, and it’s the fourth season running Jacobs has topped 200 attempts.
There’s quality in amongst all the quantity. Jacobs is moving the chains better than anybody in the league, according to Pro Football Focus:
Josh Jacobs leads the NFL with 84 first down runs this season…
No other RB has more than 60 🤯
Numbers like those should keep Jacobs off the market, but the Raiders created this situation by declining his fifth-year option in the offseason. While Kenyon pointed out the Silver and Black could use the franchise tag, he believes Jacobs “should use any shred of leverage to avoid it, though, as running backs have a narrow timeline to land a substantial contract.”
Earning that hefty contract will be tough “considering how much the Raiders have invested in Derek Carr, Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller, they aren’t likely to dole another long-term contract to a skill-position player.”
The Ravens have enough incentive to offer Jacobs the kind of deal the Raiders can’t, even with Jackson’s future still up in the air.
Jackson Can’t Preclude Ravens From Making a Splash
Giving Jackson top-tier quarterback money once appeared inevitable for the Ravens. Things have changed though, thanks to another season blighted by struggles in the passing game and injury woes.
Jackson has thrown for just 2,242 yards and averaged a mere 6.9 yards per attempt. He’s also missed two games with a knee injury.
Those problems make a trade more appealing for the Ravens once they’ve used the tag. It’s the only outcome Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post envisages for this slow-boiling contract saga: “The price point for a deal remains around $50 million a season, according to those I’ve caucused, and Jackson will almost certainly seek record guarantees. Owner Steve Bisciotti was unwilling to entertain such a deal last year, and he publicly described winning a Super Bowl as the goal for Jackson to achieve such a contract.”
Using the tag would give the Ravens options, and a trade would be more palatable than forcing Jackson to stay for the short-term, according to La Canfora: “Having a quarterback of this stature, still this young, playing on the franchise tag is generally a losing proposition for the team, to say nothing of a $45 million cap figure that would complicate roster construction. A trade may be the only way out. In fact, that projects as a less surprising outcome by the week.”
Moving on from Jackson would be a risk, but if the Ravens secured ample draft capital, in the form of extra first-round picks, they’d stand a better chance of rebuilding quickly. Any post-Jackson rebuild would also be accelerated by having enough money under the salary cap to make a splash in free agency.
The Ravens are projected by Spotrac.com to have $44,045,063 worth of space. It’s more than enough to make Jacobs the headline act in a stable of capable but less-than-elite running backs.
J.K. Dobbins could make the leap into the bracket of marquee players at his position, based on his recent performances:
JK Dobbins over the past two weeks:
⚫️ 245 rushing yards (1st)
🟣 8.8 yards per carry (1st)
⚫️ 7 runs of 10+ yards (1st)
🟣 86.7 PFF grade (1st)
Yet, Jacobs is already an established commodity who has proved more durable than Dobbins. The latter has missed 26 games since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2020.
Making Jacobs the focal point of the offense would make life a whole lot easier for any quarterback called upon if the Ravens are transitioning away from Jackson.
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Ravens an ‘Appealing’ Landing Spot for Free Agency’s Top RB