Differing reports came out of the Raiders’ effort (or lack thereof) to extend Josh Jacobs at the July 2023 franchise tag deadline. Multiple reports earlier this year indicated the Raiders made Jacobs an offer, the former rushing champion does not paint a picture of a notable effort on Las Vegas’ behalf to keep him.
The Packers gave Jacobs a four-year, $48MM deal, but the contract contains only $12.5MM (the running back’s signing bonus) guaranteed. Still, the Raiders’ offer was not believed to have approached where the Packers went for the five-year veteran. Jacobs also said he and new Raiders GM Tom Telesco did not speak before his Wisconsin departure.
“I never talked to the GM or none of that,” Jacobs said during an appearance on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast (via Yardbarker). “It just was what it was. At the end of the day, I told them, ‘Look, I’ve got every Raider record since I’ve been here, basically.’ And I’m like, ‘If y’all don’t have enough respect in me to sit me down and have a conversation, then we don’t have anything to talk about.’ It’s that simple, really.”
Jacobs, 26, is now tied to a fourth front office boss, in Green Bay’s Brian Gutekunst. The Jon Gruden-Mike Mayock regime drafted him in 2019, and the accomplished RB’s first round of contract negotiations came with Dave Ziegler in charge. The Raiders may or may not have come close to a Jacobs extension last July. A report indicated a $12MM offer — one that compared favorably to the Giants’ 2023 Saquon Barkley proposal — surfaced, while another indicated the team was not close on terms with its franchise-tagged RB. Regardless, the sides split shortly after Telesco’s hire.
The Raiders’ Telesco move, which came weeks before Jacobs’ contract officially expired, did not lead to a strong effort to retain Jacobs. This came a year after Telesco did not show interest in an Austin Ekeler extension, despite the versatile back’s interest in a new deal. Though, the Raiders are believed to have considered the former Telesco Chargers find in free agency this year. Ekeler ended up in Washington on a two-year, $8.43MM deal.
The Raiders did not have Jacobs’ services for the season’s final month; the five-year starter finished the season on the shelf due to two contusions. Nagging injuries cropped up at several points for Jacobs, though he dominated behind a middling Raiders O-line — en route to becoming the first Raider rushing champion since Marcus Allen‘s 1985 MVP season — in a 17-game 2022 showing. The Packers are likely to roster Jacobs for at least two years, with signing bonus prorations surpassing $9MM from 2025-27 and the RB due a $5.93MM bonus on Day 5 of the 2025 league year.
Las Vegas will save some money at running back, being set to use two-year Jacobs backup Zamir White as its starter. Alexander Mattison, who signed a one-year deal worth $2MM, is expected to back up White. Jacobs is replacing Aaron Jones in Green Bay, but the Pack both re-signed AJ Dillon and used a third-round pick on MarShawn Lloyd.
After three 1,000-yard rushing seasons, Jacobs will attempt to prove himself alongside Jordan Love and Co. in the NFC. He leaves Las Vegas ranking third in career rushing yardage (5,545) and rushing TDs (46) as a Raider. His 1,653-yard 2022 season trails only Allen’s ’85 showing in team annals.
‘Look, I’ve got every Raider record since I’ve been here, basically.’
What record or records is he talking about? Dude literally has no raider records
It seemed weird to me too, so I checked. It does turn out that he has the record for most rookie rushing yards and most rushing yards through first four and five seasons as a Raider. And in rushing touchdowns, he’s only behind guys with way more games played. But yeah, Marcus Allen has all the real Raiders rushing records.
Also, this caused me to look at Bo Jackson’s career stats and good lord. That guy had the NFL’s longest rush of the year in three of the four seasons he played.
Records or no records it’s always better to let your agent do the talking. Things rarely workout well in negotiations if you start off with an attitude of animosity.
Unless you’re Lamar J., then you can do the talking!
Who ya gonna trust if you can’t trust your Mom?
I mean, he was good when he was good. The whole holdout thing and not a clear fit in the McDaniels offense was the writing on the wall. RB’s in the NFL are no longer looked at the same way as Marcus Allen or Walter Payton.
True but not many RBs today are like Allen or Payton. If they were they’d be paid. See McCaffery.
Also true. I just don’t see RB’s being used in offensive schemes as much, or the same as they used to. Sure McCaffery is a stud but he’s an outlier now. Teams used to pound the ball to open passing opportunities and now it seems like RB’s are primarily used in plays to offset the defense or goal line situations. Not as many touches = not as much stats = not as much $.
I think JJs problem was he didn’t seem to be the same back last year. Was he worn down? Was it the holdout? I Don’t know. But when Z. White started down the stretch you could really see a difference. White felt more explosive and was racking up yards behind that same O-line. Maybe they weren’t crowding the box as much ( I dont know) but I really wish nothing but the best for JJ.
JJ is so dramatic. The guy was one of the first signings of the offseason with GBP so it’s not as if he afforded the Raiders much time to talk with him during free agency. Could Telesco have talked with him before Free Agency started? Sure. But when he was looking for a payday and the Raiders were clearly frustrated with his previous hold out followed by lack of in season production, it was clear Telesco and AP were comfortable going with Zamir.
Additionally, if you take the name off the back of the jersey, Jacobs was out played in nearly every rushing metric by Zamir.
Long story short, the Raiders are better off without him on the roster and not being forced to pay a malcontent with poor self awareness. I believe the Packers will come to have buyers remorse.
He was a fine player for us. He was great in 2019 & 2022, okay in 2020 & 2021, and kind of weak in 2023. Like others have said, maybe it was the hold-out, or the nagging injuries.
But before considering an extension, I always think in terms of what happens if he just repeats his previous year? To me, this looks a lot like Waller.
But that said, I wish him all the best in GB.
He has been too busy worrying about bout what color to wear in Mexico and traveling in armor cars while there.