Getty Running back Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Chicago Bears have the money and the incentive to pursue an elite talent at running back in free agency, and there are several who will come available next week.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report predicted on Wednesday, March 6 that the Bears will target and ultimately sign Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders, who led the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards in 2022 on his way to a first-team All-Pro selection.
[Jacobs’ 2022] performance made Vegas’ decision to franchise-tag him last year an easy one. Unfortunately for the club, Jacobs struggled along with the rest of the offense for much of 2023.
You can’t fault the Raiders’ brass for not franchise tagging Jacobs for the second straight season given that decline. With a projected market value of $10.6 million annually and a tag costing $14.1 million for the 2024 season, the finances simply didn’t add up.
The Chicago Bears might just be the team that puts the best offer on the table. Few clubs have as much as cap room as Chicago. … The team must use some of that cash to upgrade its running back platoon after quarterback Justin Fields led the offense in rushing yards last season.
Josh Jacobs Poised for Bounce Back Season in 2023
GettyRunning back Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders.
At least part of Jacobs’ dip in production in 2023 can be attributed to an offense that underperformed across the board for much of the year, as the team went through a transition at head coach and general manager in the middle of the regular season.
Rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell, who became the Raiders’ third primary starter during the campaign, finished the year under center. And while wide receiver Davante Adams was still great with 1,144 yards and 8 TDs, he failed to earn Pro-Bowl honors for the first time in seven seasons and failed to earn an All-Pro selection for the first time in four years.
To sum up, the offense just didn’t work as well and it impacted everyone’s production. Jacobs also dealt with injury issues that sidelined him for four games and limited him in multiple others, though none of those problems were catastrophic or are likely to linger into 2024.
Chicago can use an upgrade at the RB position, particularly with Fields almost certainly on his way out of town via a trade this offseason and D’Onta Foreman about to hit free agency. The Bears currently have around $56.5 million in cap space at their disposal, per Over The Cap, while Spotrac projects Jacobs’ market value at a total of $31.7 million over a new three-year contract.
Bears Prime Candidate to Sign Saquon Barkley if Josh Jacobs Lands Elsewhere
GettyRunning back Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants.
Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants is another prime candidate to join Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson — both of whom remain on cheap rookie contracts — in the Bears’ RB room if Jacobs doesn’t ultimately land in Chicago.
Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reported on Tuesday that the Bears are a “primary suitor” for Barkley, while Tyler Dragon of USA Today has also reported that there is interest in Barkley in Chicago.
Like Jacobs, Barkley also played on the franchise tag last season and the Giants declined to saddle him with it for a second consecutive season. Spotrac predicts Barkley’s market value at slightly less than that of Jacobs — $9.9 million annually over a three-year contract ($29.9 million in total).