As the Las Vegas Raiders move forward with the Antonio Pierce era, it appears they may be doing so without one of their top offensive players.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders will not place their franchise tag on running back Josh Jacobs. As a result, the two-time Pro Bowl selection is slated to become an unrestricted free agent with the ability to sign with any team when the NFL’s new league year begins on March 13.
While the Raiders are expected to attempt to re-sign Jacobs, doing so could prove difficult. Even in a crowded running back market, the 26-year-old will likely prove to be one of the top available offensive free agents, as he is just one year removed from rushing for a league-high 1,653 yards and 12 touchdowns during his first-team All-Pro campaign in 2022.
The Raiders will attempt to re-sign free-agent-to-be running back Josh Jacobs, but they are not expected to tag him, not with his franchise tag costing $14,149,200, according to league sources. pic.twitter.com/bBSHXtzg7i
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 26, 2024
Selected out of Alabama in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Jacobs has rushed for 5,545 yards and 46 touchdowns through his first five seasons in the NFL. The Tulsa, Oklahoma, native, however, is coming off of an injury plagued 2023 season that saw him rush for career lows of 805 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games.
In hitting the open market, Jacobs will join a running back free agent class currently slated to also include Saquon Barkley, Tony Pollard, Derrick Henry and Austin Ekeler. After placing their franchise tag on Jacobs last offseason, doing so again would have cost the Raiders more than $14 million for the 2024 season.
[ESPN]
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.