Josh Jacobs Agrees to One-Year Deal With the Raiders
Las Vegas, Nevada (PSF) - As of today, the Las Vegas Raiders and Josh Jacobs have agreed to a one-year, reworked deal that could be worth up to $12 million with per-game roster bonuses. Per ESPN, it was reported that Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler met with the runningback and his agent earlier this week to discuss getting a deal done. Thankfully this story is finally finished. The only running back we are waiting to sign is Kareem Hunt. Overall, this is a great move for both Jacobs and Vegas.
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I’m sure Jacobs wanted a long-term deal, but this will have to do. In my opinion, Jacobs getting up to $12 million this season is a win. If you look at the statistics, Jacobs will now be the fifth highest-paid running back in the NFL. He is officially getting compensated for his production from the 2022 season. Another potential win for Jacobs is that he is able to be franchise-tagged again next year. Of course, when reading this, you will not think this is good for him. When looking at the details, if Jacobs is tagged in 2024, his tag price will increase by 20%. If tagged again, Jacobs has the chance to make $26 million in two years. Looking at the statistics stated previously, this is a great amount to be paid for the position he is playing. Yes, the downside is no long-term deal, but the amount of money he could make in just two years will set him up for years to come. Enough about Jacobs, let’s dive into the Raiders’ side of the deal.
The Raiders had to make this move. I understand not wanting to give a running back a long-term contract, but you couldn’t let Jacobs sit out this entire season. Jacobs finally caved and signed a one-year deal, this is a great move strictly based on the length of the contract for the organization. You now have your second-best player on offense returning for the season and he is only owed money for 2023. I hope this doesn’t happen but let’s discuss a hypothetical. If Jacobs does get hurt for an extended amount of time this season, this will only prove the Raiders right all along. That will be their new excuse not to pay him long-term. The only negative is worrying about next March when Jacobs expects a new deal. As stated previously, the team could franchise tag him but that would cost them more than this season. I think having him on a franchise tag for another season would be a good move because you aren’t linked to the player for numerous years, but you never know what the teams will do since they all operate differently when it comes to financials.
Overall, a great move for both sides. Jacobs gets paid like a top-five running back and the Raiders don’t have to sign him to a longer contract. Another positive is for the overall team. This offense looks a lot better now knowing that Jacobs will be the premier back in 2023. Vegas is hoping for a bounce-back season, they now will be led by Jimmy Garapolo. Garapolo may not be the best option, fortunately, he has prior experience in this offense, and now he will be able to rely on both Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs.
