Getty Las Vegas Raiders RB Josh Jacobs.
With Josh Jacobs being the last running back holding out of training camp for a new contract, the Las Vegas Raiders have decisions to make. That could lead the team to explore a possible trade of the running back, according to Bleacher Report.
In a July 29 column, Alex Ballentine proposed a trade that would send Jacobs to the Arizona Cardinals for a 2024 third-round pick and a 2025 sixth-round pick.
“The Cardinals are in a position where they need to find playmakers to build their offense around and they can’t be too picky about what position they play,” Ballentine wrote.
“Jacobs would be a big upgrade over James Conner who would better thrive in a complimentary role. The current Raider proved last season that he can be an elite rusher and pass-catching back.”
Jacobs hasn’t requested a trade and previously told reporters in January that he wants to stay with the Raiders long-term. However, the fact that he’s holding out shows that he’s not happy with the current situation. The two sides can’t negotiate a long-term contract until after the season so Jacobs doesn’t have many options. If he decides to take the step to holdout during the regular season, trading him might be the best option for both sides.
Las Vegas Raiders Open to ‘Restarting’ Talks With Josh Jacobs
Josh Jacobs was an important player for the Raiders last season. He led the entire NFL with 1,653 rushing yards and was named First-Team All-Pro after the season. The team was 5-1 in games where he rushed for over 100 yards.
The Raiders appear to understand how important he is to the offense. According to an August 1 tweet from CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, the team is “open to restarting talks” with Jacobs. They’d like him to return to the team.
New: My understanding is, the #Raiders are open to restarting talks with RB Josh Jacobs, with the hopes of getting him to rejoin the team, which still remains the goal for the organization.
As noted earlier, the Raiders and Jacobs aren’t allowed to finalize a long-term contract until the 2023 season is over after missing the July 17 deadline. That said, they could restructure his deal for 2023. The New York Giants did that with Saquon Barkley by adding $1 million worth of incentives. The Raiders appear interested in trying to find a similar solution with Jacobs but it remains to be seen if the interest is mutual.
Josh McDaniels Looking Forward to Bringing Josh Jacobs Back
It’s up to general manager Dave Ziegler to handle the Josh Jacobs situation for now. Head coach Josh McDaniels is occupied with training camp. For his part, McDaniels is eager to get the star running back to return to the practice field.
“I think everybody loves and respects JJ (Jacobs) and understands the process,” McDaniels told Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano in a July 31 interview. “I certainly do. And I’ve said it a million times this year: I love the player and the person, and I understand the process he’s going through. We’re going to work as hard as we can with the guys that are here every day, and ultimately when he’s back, we’re going to look forward to getting him back and integrated into the group.”
It sounds like McDaniels is confident that something will get done with Jacobs. Unless the Raiders decide to rescind the franchise tag or trade him, he doesn’t have many options other than to play when the season starts.