Getty Latavius Murray with Derek Carr.
The 2023 NFL Draft has finally come to an end and that means the free agent market is going to heat up again. There are plenty of quality veterans still on the market and now teams have a better idea of what their needs are heading into the season. The Buffalo Bills have had one of the top offenses in the NFL for a few years now but have struggled to run the ball consistently. They’ve decided to bring in a former Raiders running back to see if he can help improve that part of their offense.
The Bills announced that they’ve signed Latavius Murray to a one-year deal.
Done deal.
We’ve signed RB Latavius Murray to a one-year deal! ✍️ #BillsMafia
Murray originally came into the NFL as a sixth-round pick of the Raiders in 2013 and made the Pro Bowl in 2015. Ever since he left the Raiders, he has bounced around the NFL. He has played with the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos. He’s 33 so his best days are behind him but he’s proven that he can stay healthy and make plays when he needs to. Murray has never been able to compete in a Super Bowl but he could have his best chance yet now that he’s playing with the Bills.
Raiders Don’t Add RB in Draft
When the Raiders draft Zamir White last year, it looked like the Josh Jacobs era was coming to an end. However, the former first-round pick ended up leading the NFL in rushing yards and being named First-Team All-Pro. This led to the Raiders hitting him with the franchise tag this offseason.
Jacobs doesn’t appear interested in the idea of playing on the franchise tag and would like a long-term deal. Had the Raiders addressed running back again in this year’s draft, that would’ve been a sign that they might not be able to retain Jacobs. The team ended up not adding a single running back in the draft and didn’t sign one in the first wave of undrafted free agent signings. That’s a good sign that general manager Dave Ziegler is confident he can work out a deal with Jacobs.
What Will Raiders Do if Jacobs Refuses to Play on Tag?
Jacobs hasn’t said much since the Super Bowl when he was making the rounds in the media. He suggested that he’d be willing to play on the franchise tag if he thought the team could win. Since then, he has just put out cryptic messages that suggest he’s not very happy. If the two sides can’t come to a deal, it’s possible that things get ugly.
Jacobs is coming off the best season of his life and wants to be rewarded for doing so. However, the Raiders almost instantly regretted giving big contracts to Derek Carr, Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow last year. They may be apprehensive to give another big contract to a player they didn’t initially bring in. Jacobs will have value on the trade market if the two sides can’t reach a deal but it would be tough to lose him. He was arguably the team’s most important offensive player last season. White could be a good player but he’s certainly not on Jacobs’ level right now. In the end, it’s hard to imagine the Raiders won’t give him a long-term deal.
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Ex-Raiders Pro Bowl RB Signs Contract With AFC Contender