Everybody Won in Jacobs, Raiders Saga
Rarely do a player, and his old and new teams win in a situation like the one between the Las Vegas Raiders and running back Josh Jacobs.
However, after Jacobs signed a multi-year deal with the Green Bay Packers, it looks like that is the case.
After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Raiders, Jacobs and the team were at a standstill last offseason after Jacobs led the National Football League in rushing during a contract season.
In the NFL Draft of Jacobs' league-leading rushing season, the Raiders made a smart move by investing a fourth-round draft pick in running back Zamir White. The move allowed the Raiders to play hardball with Jacobs at the negotiating table.
Not only were owners around the league devaluing the running back position, but the Raiders now also had a significantly cheaper option in White, who had much less wear and tear than Jacobs, who had been responsible for most of the team's carries since he was drafted in 2019.
This put the Raiders in a position where they had leverage in contract negotiations with Jacobs, as most teams did in their talks with the top backs around the league. Last offseason, Jacobs held out all offseason, refusing to sign his franchise tag tender and eventually signing a one-year deal.
The Las Vegas Raiders and running back Josh Jacobs won in the long run.
Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
Usually, when a player of Jacobs' caliber holds out, they do so because their absence can force a team's hand at the negotiating table, but with the state of running back contracts around the league, Jacobs and other top free agent running backs had little choice but to sign their respective one-year deals.
After a down season that saw Jacobs miss the last few games due to an injury, he was again a free agent with the opportunity to stay with the only team he's ever played for by taking less money than he desired or finding the type of contract he wanted elsewhere.
Jacobs won by signing a large contract with lots of money due on the front end. As he nears 30, he can also secure another big-time contract. Both are significant wins for a running back in a market where running backs have not had much financial success.
The Raiders won by not overpaying for a position whose value decreased around the league. They also won because they can now take the freed-up money from the running back position and spend it elsewhere.
The Packers won by getting a motivated running back at a cost that worked for them and their financial situation. It could be argued that this was one of the rare occasions when all sides involved in a star player's free agency signing won.
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