Raiders' GM Ziegler on Josh Jacobs' Future With Team
Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs just finished the best season of his young career.
Jacobs led the NFL in rushing with 1,653 yards on 340 carries and 12 rushing touchdowns. Jacobs also had nearly five yards per carry, a career-high and the highest since his rookie season. He will be a free agent after the Raiders declined his fifth-year option in April last year.
The Raiders have the decision to make on whether or not they want to sign Jacobs to a long-term deal this off-season. The man in charge of that decision is General Manager Dave Ziegler, who spoke last week about Jacobs on the organization’s commitment to getting a deal done.
“Josh embodies a lot of the qualities that we want to build this foundation on," Ziegler said. "He loves football, he’s dependable, he’s tough, and he’s a really good football player, and he’s explosive, which is an important thing too, and so those are the types of players that we want to be Raiders, and that we want to build around.”
Ziegler said the first year in an organization is getting to know the people on the team and said he learned a lot about Jacobs’ work ethic and commitment to his own greatness.
Jacobs will be a free agent this off-season but has said he would like to return to the Raiders. It all depends on if Jacobs and the team can come to an agreement on a contract, which might be difficult. Jacobs likely will be looking for a multi-year deal with a lot of money annually, and it will be up to the Raiders if they believe he is worth it.
Another factor determining whether or not Jacobs is a Raider next season is the direction Ziegler plans on taking the team. If he does decide to rebuild, he might not want to pay a running back with a long-term contract. If he decides to run it back with the same foundation -- sans Derek Carr -- Jacobs might fit into those plans.
Paying running backs has become something teams do not do much any more, as the NFL has turned into a pass-heavy league and the lifespan of elite running back play is not very long. However, Jacobs is only 24 years old and likely has a lot left in the tank.
Jacobs had an excellent season with the Raiders last season, but only time will tell if he will remain in Las Vegas in 2023.
The NFL Scouting Combine is Feb. 28-March 6, 2023, held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. On March 7, 2023, before 4 p.m. EST, is the club's deadline to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 13-15 is the free agent negotiation period. During that time, starting at 12 p.m. EST on March 13 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m. EST on March 15, clubs are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2022 Player Contracts at 4 p.m EST on March 15.
The 2023 NFL Year and Free Agency period begins at 4 p.m. EST on March 15. The Raiders are expected to be significant players in the free-agent market this season.
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