Josh McDaniels Discusses Josh Jacobs’s Return, Early Season Workload

Raiders running back Josh Jacobs missed the entirety of the team’s offseason program and training camp while holding out for a bigger contract extension.

Jacobs and the team agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract for the current year on Saturday, meaning the running back is set to return just in time for the regular season.

However, it’s unclear what type of workload Jacobs will be able to take on right out of the gate. Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels discussed that after the team’s final preseason game.

“It’s going to be hard for me to say that until I have an opportunity to see him,” coach Josh McDaniels said, via Pro Football Talk. “His conditioning and just how the way his body feels obviously will play a role in that, too. The goal will be to get him in and get going. We’ll do the right thing, whatever the right thing is. If there needs to be a number of plays early in the season, then that’s it. If there’s not, then there’s not. I don’t think any of us will know the answer of that yet.”

Jacobs has until Sunday, Sept. 10 when the Raiders kick off their season against the Broncos at Denver to give McDaniels a better idea of how much he can handle out of the gate.

Jacobs finished on top of the league last season with 1,653 rushing yards, while scoring 12 touchdowns on the ground.