Biggest Question About Josh Jacobs?
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Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs had the best season of his career in 2022 in his first year in Coach Josh McDaniels’ system.
Jacobs rushed a career-high 340 times for 1,653 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was the league leader in rushing yards by 115 yards over Tennessee Titans’ star Derrick Henry. He also set a career-high in rushing yards per game at 97.2
While his rushing totals in 2020 and 2021 dropped off from his rookie season, Jacobs was still an effective player and was named a Pro Bowler in 2020.
When McDaniels and General Manager Dave Ziegler joined the team, Jacobs’ fifth-year team option was not picked up, and he was set to enter the 2023 offseason as a restricted free agent.
Jacobs responded in a big way. Not only did he lead the league in rushing and set several career highs for himself, he was also named a Pro Bowler for the second time and was selected First-Team All-Pro. The Raiders placed the franchise tag on him before the free agency period, and both sides are still hoping to reach a long-term deal.
With Jacobs expected to either receive a contract extension or play on the franchise tag, let’s look at the outlook of the Raiders’ offense and see if he can replicate his performance from last season.
Via franchise tag or a long-term deal, we know that Jacobs will play in 2023. So the biggest question becomes, can he replicate 2022 in 2023? Jacobs will garner a massive deal if he does, either from the Raiders or someone else.
Jimmy Garoppolo will be the starter at quarterback, and while he is a talented passer, he has always thrived in systems where the running game is the team’s strength. The San Francisco 49ers were one of the best-rushing teams in the NFL year in and year out when he was the starter, so he will likely lean on Jacobs.
There are also several pass catchers who Garoppolo is not familiar with, and McDaniels’ offense last season was efficient at running the ball, so with a new quarterback who is best in a run-heavy offense, Jacobs might see a large number of carries once again.
It’s rare for running backs to replicate elite performances yearly, but Josh Jacobs is a rare talent. All the pieces are in place for him to have another excellent season.
The Raiders' offseason workout schedule is as follows:
OTA Offseason workouts: June 12-15
Mandatory Minicamp: June 6-8
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