One of the central figures in the running back franchise tag situation last offseason, Josh Jacobs was unable to work out a multi-year agreement with the Raiders. The parties landed on a one-year compromise, but they now face a similar set of circumstances. 
[RELATED: Raiders Planning QB Addition]
Jacobs is a pending free agent, something with less lucrative implications for running backs than many other positions. The 2022 rushing champion is set to negotiate with new power brokers compared to last offseason, given the dismissal of Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels and their replacement with Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco. Ziegler expressed a desire to re-engage in talks in 2024, and that sentiment appears to exist with the new regime.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Raiders are interested in exploring a Jacobs deal, though he cautions the team is prepared to do so “depending on the price.” Jacobs missed the final four games of the season, but he remained a key member of the team’s offense when on the field. He received 20 or more carries on five occasions in 2023, garnering added attention after Pierce took over as interim head coach.
As Fowler notes, Jacobs was a talking point while Pierce and the Raiders were conducting their offensive coordinator search. That process resulted in Luke Getsy being tapped for the role. His time in Chicago saw him oversee a run-based attack, and having Jacobs in the fold would give the Raiders’ ground game valuable stability. The Alabama alum will be 26 by the start of next season, and he has logged at least 217 carries in each of his five NFL seasons.
Jacobs’ workload could be a factor working against his market value, coupled with the overall landscape of the RB position. Fellow veterans Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Austin Ekeler and Tony Pollard are among the backs set to hit the open market next month. Jacobs averaged a career-high 4.9 yards per carry in 2022, but that figure dropped to 3.5 this season. He finished with 805 rushing yards and six touchdowns, matching the yards-per-rush mark as the lowest totals of his career.
The franchise tag is projected to cost roughly $12.4MM for running backs this season, but a second Jacobs tag would cost 120% of his 2023 earnings. Vegas would thus be required to spend at least $14.16MM on the two-time Pro Bowler, a figure which would likely outweigh his value on a multi-year agreement with the Raiders or an outside team. Coming off a down season in 2023, his market will be worth watching closely as the team contemplates its first offseason with new faces on the sidelines and in the front office.
Zamir White looks ready to take the role , allocate them funds elsewhere
Stop using logic!
Hoping that Telesco finally brings some consistency and logic to the front office. The Mayock/Gruden and Ziegler/McDaniels regimes did bring in some solid players but the percentage of signings, trades and picks that have made an impact was not where it needed to be if we are going to be a better team from top to bottom long term. As much as I love JJ, we definitely need to use our money as wisely as possible. Locking him up to a multiple year guarantee is not a wise choice.
The Raiders strike me as the kind of team that gives a huge guarantee second contract to a RB, despite those contracts not normally working out.
I think some teams are more or less forced into taking that approach if they have an unstable situation at the QB position and no passer they really have a lot of confidence in.
Zamir White looked good at the end of the season and should be a solid option next season. There are a few backs that could be had on day 2-3 that should be able to come in and compliment him. What we really need to focus on is overhauling the offensive line because no QB or RB is going to have a ton of success with the current crew blocking for them.