There are several players for the Raiders that are entering huge seasons for their respective careers. That includes Jimmy Garoppolo, Nate Hobbs, Divine Deablo, etc.
But one player that might have the most on the line is Josh Jacobs. Coming off an All-Pro season, Jacobs has yet to secure a long-term contract from the team. With the current running back market, Jacobs can’t afford to have a down season in 2023.
In a recent article by Nick Shook of NFL.com, he wrote about eight players who are in make-or-break seasons. That list included Josh Jacobs, who will likely be playing the 2023 season on the franchise tag. Here is a snippet of what Shook had to say about Jacobs entering the year:
Jacobs led the NFL in rushing yards (1,653) and scored 12 rushing touchdowns in 2022, but he has yet to receive a lucrative extension offer to his liking (July 17 is the deadline for tagged players to sign a multi-year extension). If nothing changes on that front, he’ll have another chance to prove he is an essential part of the Raiders’ future playing on a one-year tender in 2023.
Running back continues to be devalued in the pass-happy NFL, but if he produces another top-tier season in ‘23, the Raiders might have a tough time justifying not paying him. On the other hand, if he doesn’t find as much success, the Raiders might have no problem moving on and leaving Jacobs to enter a market that hasn’t been friendly to the position.
If Jacobs does wind up playing on the franchise tag, that means he would likely be able to hit free agency during the 2024 offseason. However, the Raiders would have the option to franchise tag him again, but that seems unlikely if he has another monster season.
Jacobs is just 25 years old and has been one of the most productive running backs in the league over the last few seasons. If he can put together another big year, maybe he’ll finally be the running back to break the market and get a big contract.
