Will Raiders Return to RB by Committee?

Coach Josh McDaniels might run a familiar offensive scheme if Josh Jacobs misses any time for the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Las Vegas Raiders and star running back Josh Jacobs have still not agreed to a long-term contract extension, and he remains on the franchise tag and away from the team.

Jacobs had the best season of his career in 2022, leading the NFL in rushing with 1,653 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns. Even after having a season of this caliber and being named a First-Team All-Pro, Jacobs still has not received the multi-year deal he desires.

It’s unclear as to the exact reason why Jacobs and the Raiders have not agreed yet, but as it currently stands, Jacobs has not re-joined the team for any offseason workouts.

Coach Josh McDaniels commonly used a running back-by-committee approach to his rushing attack when he was the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots.

It was widely speculated that McDaniels would continue that approach when he came to Las Vegas. Still, Jacobs has carried the ball 340 times, second in the league behind Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans, who had 349 carries.

With rumors about Jacobs sitting out during the 2023 season, McDaniels may look to implement his familiar rushing attack philosophy of giving multiple running backs a large share of carries.

The running backs on the roster who could see an uptick in production if Jacobs were to sit out are second-year man Zamir White, veteran Brandon Bolden, and even possibly Sincere McCormick. Those combined players have 317 career carries, fewer than Jacobs’ from last season.

While this would undoubtedly draw criticism, a running back-by-committee approach worked for a few teams in the NFL last season, including the Chicago Bears, who had three players with at least 129 carries, and the Philadelphia Eagles, who had four players with at least 50 carries.

This would also keep multiple running backs’ legs fresh, reducing the risk of injury and allowing them to play further into the season. If Jacobs were to miss any time, the Raiders’ offense would lack the star magnetism he provides; if the offensive line is playing at a high level, the ball carrier will still have a chance to gain yardage.

Jacobs might still rejoin the Raiders, but if he were to sit out any time during the 2023 season, McDaniels could return to an offensive approach that he has been familiar with and has been successful with.

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