The Raiders and running back Josh Jacobs reportedly made little headway in contract negotiations throughout the offseason.
“While the Giants and [Saquon] Barkley made some progress in their negotiations, the talks between the Raiders and Jacobs were dead in the water until last weekend, according to league sources,” wrote Vic Tafur of The Athletic.
Also, Jacobs has denied reports stating Las Vegas tried to offer him a new deal before the franchise tag deadline.
On a Tuesday episode of “The Rich Eisen Show,” Sports Illustrated NFL Insider Albert Breer said, “My sense is that the effort was really made” to give Jacobs a new contract.
Afterward, the RB tweeted a cap emoji—a slang term for false— while replying to the clip.
Whether or not the Raiders made a sincere effort in negotiations, they’ve potentially created a mess. Since the 25-year-old has yet to sign his franchise tender (a one-year, $10.1M deal), he can sit out of training camp and not be subject to fines.
While it’s a risky strategy, Jacobs, who led the league in rushing yards (1,653) last season, could carry his holdout into the regular season. If this happens, it presents a problem. Las Vegas lacks RB depth. RB2 Zamir White only rushed for 70 yards in 17 games last season.
Ironically, the Raiders could’ve avoided a tense situation with Jacobs if they activated his fifth-year option last offseason, which has a lower base salary ($8M) than the franchise tag and would’ve added two more years to his deal.
Las Vegas must find a way to make amends with the Pro Bowl RB, especially after the Raiders went 6-11 last season and face a growing list of problems.
