The Raiders’ Josh Jacobs, who led the league in rushing yards in 2022, is back and has questions about his future in Las Vegas.The former first-team All-Pro posted career lows in rushing (805), rushing (6) and yards per carry (3.5). He also missed the final four games of the season with a quad injury.
Despite the disappointing season, ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez noted that he is a “favorite” player among owner Mark Davis and new coach Antonio Pierce, meaning the organization could re-sign him. To be fair to Jacobs, his play improved after the Raiders fired Josh McDaniels. Pierce averaged 79.4 rushing yards and three touchdowns per game in five games.Despite that, second-year RB Zamir White has looked solid in place of the 25-year-old. During that span, he averaged 99.3 rushing yards per game, scored one touchdown and caught nine passes for 60 yards.
White, a former fourth-round pick, is entering the third year of a four-year, $4.4 million contract, while Jacobs is seventh on a four-year deal worth 10, 6 million dollars a year. Given his regression and durability issues, the Raiders shouldn’t reward him with a huge extension.Jacobs missed training camp and the preseason last season after the Las Vegas franchise drafted him, but he should consider doing so again.
Using the tag for two consecutive years represents 120% of the player’s salary from the previous season. RB’s base salary in 2023 is $7.59 million. According to Spotrac, the Raiders have $43.37 million in cap space, so they can afford it.A disappointing season could motivate Jacobs and help him bounce back. If he doesn’t return, the Raiders will have another backup to rely on in White.
