Could Josh Jacobs be a Week 1 holdout for Raiders?
Dec 8, 2019; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (28) before the game against the Tennessee Titans at Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Could Josh Jacobs hold out from the Las Vegas Raiders all the way through Week 1 of the NFL season? One reporter thinks that is a possibility.
The Raiders assigned Jacobs their franchise tag in March. The two sides have until the July 17 deadline to reach agreement on a long-term deal and have not yet made progress on a contract.
NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero joined “The Rich Eisen Show” for an interview on Tuesday and talked about the situation for some of the running backs, such as Dalvin Cook. Pelissero then brought up Jacobs because he feels that the running back’s status with the Raiders is being overlooked.
Pelissero said he thinks a holdout that goes into the season is a possibility for Jacobs.
“At this point, if there’s not a long-term deal … I don’t anticipate Josh Jacobs being there at the start of training camp. And I don’t know that he shows up Week 1,” Pelissero said (around the 5:00 mark).
Would @dalvincook fit with the #TakeFlight – he seems to think so but does it make sense? The @nflnetwork insider explained:#NFL pic.twitter.com/pYyCohGc9d
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) June 27, 2023
Jacobs made over $12 million on his rookie deal with the Raiders, which has expired. He would earn just over $10 million in 2023 on the franchise tag if he signs his tender. But he’s looking to get more money long term, whether it’s from the Raiders or another team.
Jacobs is encountering an issue that many of his colleagues have faced. The market for running backs, even ones who rushed for 1,653 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, is not good. That’s a tough reality for a 25-year-old who just was named first-team All-Pro.
H/T Dov Kleiman