Getty Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce.
The Las Vegas Raiders have made some big additions this offseason but they’ve also suffered a major loss. Running back Josh Jacobs joined the team as a first-round pick in 2019, was named to the Pro Bowl twice and led the NFL in rushing in 2022.
Despite that, the Raiders didn’t re-sign him in free agency as he landed with the Green Bay Packers. While many coaches prefer not to pay running backs big money, it doesn’t appear Antonio Pierce is one of them. The head coach made it clear that he’s not thrilled with the fact that Jacobs won’t be in Las Vegas this season.
“Don’t like to see it,” Pierce said of losing Jacobs during his March 25 media availability at the NFL owners meetings, via ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez. “I made it known – the heartbeat, a Raider through and through. But, as we all know, it’s a business. You hear that line … Money talks, BS walks, right? And he had to do what’s best for him and his family and I wish him the best, but that one hurt.”
It appears that general manager Tom Telesco could’ve been the driving force behind the Raiders not re-signing Jacobs. It’s a clear indication that Pierce doesn’t have much say over roster decisions going forward.
Will Las Vegas Raiders Regret Losing Josh Jacobs?
Josh Jacobs has established himself as one of the top running backs in the NFL over his career. In five seasons, he’s had over 800 rushing yards in every one and broke 1,000 rushing yards in three of them. He’s also grown as a receiver and has over 50 catches in two of the last three seasons.
Players like Jacobs aren’t always easily replaced. Zamir White played well for the Raiders down the stretch last season. He rushed for 397 in his final four starts of the season. White’s emergence likely played a large role in why Tom Telesco felt comfortable letting Jacobs walk in free agency. White doesn’t have the speed of Jacobs as isn’t as effective in the passing game
Antonio Pierce Praises Tom Telesco
While Antonio Pierce isn’t particularly happy with how the Josh Jacobs situation has unfolded, he still has a lot of confidence in Tom Telesco. When talking about the Raiders’ need at quarterback, he made it clear that he has full trust in the general manager.
“I got Tom Telesco in there. Got the magician. Figure out what he’s got up his sleeve,” Pierce told NFL.com’s Carol Smith in a March 24 interview. “He’s done it for a long time. I got a lot of trust in him. I think he’s seen it wherever he’s been. Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, becomes a GM with the Chargers, Philip Rivers, Justin Herbert. So he knows something about quarterbacks. So I’m going to let him figure it out.”
The relationship between Pierce and Telesco will be key for the Raiders’ future and it appears the two are off to a good start. Running backs are typically replaceable but the two need to be in lockstep when it comes to finding a quarterback. If the Raiders can find the right franchise quarterback, the sky’s the limit for how good the team can be.