Jets Among Favorites to Land Raiders Former 1st-Round Pick

The New York Jets could suddenly be in the mix for a proven standout.

Adam Thompson of bookies.com released betting odds on where running back Josh Jacobs could suit up for the upcoming 2023 season. Gang Green was the top-ranked team not named the Las Vegas Raiders at +500.

Here is the full list of the team odds:

1. Las Vegas Raiders (-125)
2. New York Jets (+500)
3. Houston Texans (+650)
4. Chicago Bears (+800)
5. Arizona Cardinals (+950)

Jacobs entered the league as the No. 24 overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.

Disgruntled Raiders RB Could Attempt to Force His Way Out

The 25-year-old just completed the final year of his rookie contract in 2022.

Through the first three seasons in the NFL, the former Alabama product put up solid production with 3,087 rushing yards, 4.2 rushing yards per attempt, and 28 total touchdowns.

However, Jacobs couldn’t have picked a better time to have a career year in 2023.

He rushed for a league-leading 1,653 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, and averaged 4.9 yards per clip. On top of Jacobs’ rushing prowess, he also contributed through the air. He caught 53 receptions for an additional 400 receiving yards.

The first-team All-Pro was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason but the Raiders prevented that from happening with the franchise tag. He has skipped both the voluntary workouts and the mandatory minicamp this offseason.

According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, Jacobs is seeking a long-term deal and the team is hoping he will sign and play under the $10.09 million franchise tag.

Thompson of bookies.com said Jacobs is starting to sound “disgruntled.”

Jets Flirting With Potential RB Upgrades

Head coach Robert Saleh was asked about the sudden availability of free agent running back Dalvin Cook on Friday, June 9.

The coach said, “Obviously we’ll turn the stones over on that one.”

That response was a far cry from what he said back at the NFL’s owner meetings on March 27. Saleh was asked about the rumored interest in ex-Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott.

“We love our running back room. I’ll leave it at that.”

Saleh went from loving his running back room to “obviously” exploring the Cook option in free agency a couple of months later.

The only answer that makes sense is a potential change to the recovery and rehab timeline of second-year running back Breece Hall. He tore his ACL during the Week 7 matchup versus the Denver Broncos in 2022.

While the team has said all the right things publically about his expected return in Week 1 not everyone is buying what the team is selling.

“They keep talking about how Breece Hall is good to go so if they’re right and they aren’t blowing smoke. I’m skeptical he’s going to be the same Breece right away,” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic explained during an appearance on my podcast on June 13.

If Hall will be healthy by the start of the season, then the Jets’ flirtations with other running back options are probably all fluff. However, if some doubt is starting to creep in about his recovery or the team just wants to play it safe by adding another body, things could get very interesting this offseason.

Jacobs’ rights belong to the Raiders due to the franchise tag. So for the Jets to acquire him it would have to be a tag-and-trade scenario or Las Vegas would have to rescind the franchise tag which would make the talented rusher an unrestricted free agent.