Getty Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels.
The Las Vegas Raiders won’t be giving a long-term contract to running back Josh Jacobs this year. The July 17 deadline for him to sign a new contract is in the past so now he has a decision to make regarding if he wants to play or hold out until next year.
Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels spent the majority of his career with the New England Patriots before heading to Las Vegas. The Patriots have not been known to pay running backs under head coach Bill Belichick. The fact that Jacobs didn’t get paid likely stems from what McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler previously learned from the legendary coach.
However, former Patriots assistants have not had much success away from New England. Following the news that Jacobs didn’t get a deal, former Raiders running back Maurice Jones-Drew took a shot at McDaniels by saying on Twitter that the Patriot Way “never works” if Belichick isn’t the one running it.
In three seasons as a head coach, McDaniels has a record of 17-28. Until he proves that he can lead a team to a winning record, there will continue to be doubts that the Patriot Way can work outside of New England.
Josh Jacobs Was With Maxx Crosby at Deadline
Josh Jacobs wanted to get a long-term contract with the Raiders. He made it clear he wanted to stay with the team in a January 2023 press conference at the end of the season. He even held out hope in the end when it looked like a deal wouldn’t materialize.
According to a July 17 tweet from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Jacobs was at the Raiders’ facilities prior to the deadline and was sitting in a car with defensive end Maxx Crosby waiting just in case a deal did happen at the last minute.
Crosby is arguably the best player on the Raiders and has become a leader in recent years. He was part of the same 2019 draft class that Jacobs was. The fact that he was with Jacobs at the deadline shows how important the running back is to the team. This is now an issue that could linger over the team for the entire 2023 season.
Josh Jacobs Betting on Himself
With the deadline to sign in the past, Josh Jacobs doesn’t have many options. He can’t negotiate a long-term deal until after the 2023 season. The only way he’d be able to get a long-term deal is if the Raiders rescinded his franchise tag and he signed with another team. That is highly unlikely.
Jacobs has not signed his franchise tag tender, which means he is not obligated to participate in training camp or the preseason. An extensive holdout is likely on the way. Jacobs has been known to send out cryptic messages on social media, which he decided to do on July 18. On his Instagram story, he posted a message that said “Bet on yourself.
Josh Jacobs on IG just now
That message could mean a lot of things. It could mean that he plans to play again this season and his performance will be so good that he’ll earn a contract next year. It could also mean that he’s prepared to endure a long holdout because he knows he can recoup his money in the long run. Regardless, he’ll be one of the top players in the NFL to watch in the coming weeks.