AP's Presence Heightens the Chances Jacobs Returns

While there are no guarantees in the NFL, especially in free agency, the presence of Antonio Pierce as head coach increases the chances Josh Jacobs will return.

The Las Vegas Raiders enter another offseason with questions surrounding their star running back, Josh Jacobs. Last year, Jacobs held out the entire offseason while negotiating a contract with the Raiders' front office. His holdout would be part of the reason Las Vegas' rushing attack struggled for the first half of the season. 

Jacobs was one of the top running backs in the National Football League this season before missing the last four games due to an injury he suffered against the Minnesota Vikings. Jacobs would finish the season with the lowest rushing total of his five-year career.

With Jacobs set to become a free agent this offseason, the emergence of Zamir White, and the possibility of Jacobs being unable to agree on contract terms with the Raiders, it is fair to wonder if the Raiders will bring back Jacobs next season.

Those things would have had even more of a potentially negative impact on Jacobs' return to Las Vegas had Pierce not returned to the Raiders as their head coach. 

The chances of running back Josh Jacobs returning to Las Vegas increased with Antonio Pierce's interim tag being removed / © Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Pierce has been adamant Jacobs is the heart of the Raiders offense. With Pierce now firmly in place, it is no secret he will do what he can to keep Jacobs with the only team he has ever played for professionally. A healthy Jacobs, with an entire offseason of preparation with his teammates, would go a long way in Pierce's attempt to right the ship.

While it is the National Football League and anything can happen, especially in free agency, there is reason to believe that with Pierce being named the permanent head coach, Jacobs is likelier to return to Las Vegas than if Pierce had not been named the Raiders' permanent coach. 

The success of Las Vegas' offense is usually directly tied to the success Jacobs and the Raiders' rushing attack has on game day. Assuming Jacobs can get healthy this offseason, some tweaks are made to the offense, and the Raiders continue their commitment to running the football, there's a chance Jacobs could return to the running back that led the league in rushing just two seasons ago. 

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