Running back Josh Jacobs was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disastrous 2022 season for the Las Vegas Raiders.
They used their franchise tag on Jacobs as they tried to pick up the pieces from their 6–11 finish, and Jacobs meanwhile hoped to receive a generous new contract from him.
But he didn’t and now the big question is when will he report closer to the start of the training camp.
Tom Pellicero tweeted that Jacobs was in the parking lot of the Raiders team facility with star pass rusher Max Crosby, hoping to receive notification that the organization had agreed to a new deal, but that never happened.
How close were you to signing an extension with Josh Jacobs? #Attacker,
he was sitting in a car in the parking lot of #Attacker feature with teammate Max Crosby at the deadline, ready to sign if it is completed.
That didn’t happen, and it’s now unclear when the champion running back will return. pic.twitter.com/Ex1JzR1QOt
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) 17 July 2023
In the first three seasons of his NFL career, Jacobs was a solid tailback who twice topped the 1,000-yard mark and made the Pro Bowl in 2020, but last season, he climbed to a much higher level.
He scored 12 rushing touchdowns while leading the league with 1,653 rushing yards and established a career high with a 4.9 yards per carry attempt.
If Las Vegas loses Jacobs too soon, they will be in some trouble.
Fortunately, they boast the services of Davante Adams, arguably the best wide receiver in football, and have added Jakoby Meyers, who had 804 yards and six touchdowns for the New England Patriots in 2022.
The Raiders blew several big leads last season and lost several close games, so perhaps making better decisions should be at the top of their to-do list for 2023.
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Fans react to today’s Josh Jacobs news