Getty Las Vegas Raiders HC Josh McDaniels.
One of the most talked about players for the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason has been Josh Jacobs. The 2019 first-round pick had the fifth-year option on his rookie contract declined and his future with the team is in doubt. The former Pro Bowler is the best running back on the roster but head coach Josh McDaniels doesn’t appear to like the idea of paying a running back good money.
The most surprising development was when Jacobs started the Raiders’ first preseason game and played in the team’s first two drives. It wasn’t a great look for the running back as players of his caliber don’t typically play in the preseason, especially when other starters don’t play. Many were quick to speculate that Jacobs was on the trade block.
McDaniels denied those rumors but he has no reason to be honest with the media. It’s entirely possible that the Raiders would trade him for the right price. However, Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report believes that would be a bad idea:
Why should we believe McDaniels? Because a deal that involves Jacobs wouldn’t make sense for a team that’s built to win now.
Last season, the Raiders’ rushing offense finished with the fifth-fewest yards and ranked 27th in yards per carry. Perhaps McDaniels wanted to help that unit build some confidence going into the upcoming campaign. Along with Jacobs, other potential offensive starters such as Alex Leatherwood, Lester Cotton Sr., Andre James, John Simpson and Brandon Parker also suited up for the Hall of Fame Game.
Moton does not believe the Raiders have a great group of running backs if Jacobs isn’t on the roster:
Without Jacobs, the Raiders would have a shaky running back group that features a rookie (White), a veteran (Drake) who’s looking to rebound from an injury-riddled term with just 254 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, and another veteran (Bolden) who’s not accustomed to carrying a heavy workload. Vegas needs its most accomplished ball-carrier at his best this year.
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Jacobs Isn’t Even Expensive
Even if the Raiders did try to trade Jacobs, it’s hard to imagine they’d get anything better than a third-round pick for him. Running backs with injury histories don’t fetch a lot on the open market. Moton pointed out that Jacobs isn’t even making much money so trading him wouldn’t lead to big financial flexibility:
Even in terms of contract value, Vegas should keep Jacobs.
Due to make $3.8 million in 2022, Jacobs is on a team-friendly deal when you consider his production through three seasons (3,839 yards and 28 touchdowns from scrimmage). Despite his numbers, he plays a highly disposable, low-premium position, which means the Raiders probably wouldn’t get much for him in a trade package. Maybe they’d receive a third-round pick, but that doesn’t match their perceived objective to win now.
He is getting some hate as of late but Josh Jacobs has forced a lot of missed tackles over the past two years, 104 to be exact.
What if he’s still the “Guy” in LV …
Raiders Likely Aren’t Trading Jacobs
As Moton pointed out, trading Jacobs just doesn’t make sense right now. McDaniels values having a great running game and Jacobs is easily the best running back on the roster. The return for trading him wouldn’t be worth losing what he brings to the team.
The Raiders want to win this season and Jacobs makes it easier to win. This is likely his last season in Las Vegas but he’ll see it out.
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