Getty The Seahawks could be a potential landing spot for Raiders RB Josh Jacobs.
The Seattle Seahawks could be an ideal trade destination for one of the top running backs in the league.
As CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin proposes, the Seahawks should be considered a top potential destination for Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs. In Benjamin’s article, he brings up 14 trade candidates entering the 2023 NFL Draft, naming multiple players who could be moved during the draft.
The Seahawks — along with the Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills — are listed as “logical” landing spots for Jacobs. Benjamin cites the Raiders’ ability to save $10 million by moving Jacobs as a key reason why he could be traded despite being under the franchise tag.
Why Raiders Could Move RB Josh Jacobs
“Technically he’s locked in for 2023 under the franchise tag, but that doesn’t mean the Raiders wouldn’t field — or solicit — interest in the event a future long-term deal is unlikely,” writes Benjamin. “Coach Josh McDaniels, remember, hails from the Patriots system that deploys multiple backs, even if he did lean heavily on Jacobs in 2022. And the veteran teased dissatisfaction with the current regime after Darren Waller’s exit this offseason. Moving the 25-year-old workhorse would instantly save Vegas $10M.”
The idea of moving Jacobs isn’t crazy. After the Raiders moved star tight end Darren Waller in a trade with the New York Giants for a third-round draft pick, Jacobs didn’t hide his disappointment in a tweet shortly after.
“S**** sad fr [for real],” Jacobs tweeted on March 14.
Jacobs is coming off of a career season that saw him run for 1,640 rushing yards — tops in the NFL — along with 12 rushing touchdowns, eighth-best mark in the league. Jacobs also contributed 53 receptions for 400 yards, ranking 10th in the league among all running backs in receptions.
However, as Joel Corry of CBS Sports notes, players under the tag are rarely ever traded.
“Trading a player after he has been given one of the designations isn’t a common occurrence,” writes Corry. “The high water mark for trades was in 2019. Three franchise players, all edge rushers, were traded.”
Why Seahawks Won’t Trade for Josh Jacobs
There’s little doubt that Jacobs is one of the best runners in the NFL and is one of the top dual-threat running backs to top it off. However, the big question is this — do the Seahawks really need a top-flight running back?
While Seattle lost former starting back Rashaad Penny to the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency, they have second-year back Kenneth Walker ready to lead the backfield for another season. Walker finished last season with 1,050 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 4.6 yards per carry despite starting only 11 games. He finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, but actually edged out the winner — the New York Jets’ Garrett Wilson — in first-place votes, 19-to-18.
Considering Walker is the projected starting running back coming off of a stellar season, why would the Seahawks acquire Jacobs? It’s no secret that head coach Pete Carroll likes to penny pinch when it comes to contracts — he’s never been a big spender in free agency — and that mindset is a factor in any potential deal for Jacobs due to his $10 million price tag. By comparison, Walker is due to earn $1.9 million this season, ranking 36th among all running backs.
The idea of Jacobs in the Seahawks’ backfield is an exciting one. If Walker didn’t emerge as a legitimate franchise runner last season, Seattle would probably make more sense as a landing spot for Jacobs. Even if Jacobs is shopped during the NFL draft, don’t expect the Seahawks to emerge as a suitor.