The Las Vegas Raiders gave the league’s leading rusher from the 2022 campaign the franchise tag right before free agency began. Paloma Villicana, a reporter for Fox 5 Las Vegas, reported that a Josh Jacobs holdout is in the cards if he does not get a contract extension.
#Raiders RB Josh Jacobs tells me he's "feeling great" this offseason with no injuries, he feels "explosive".
I'm told by a source close to him that if a deal is not made between the Raiders and Josh Jacobs on Monday at 1PM. Jacobs will not be showing up for training camp. pic.twitter.com/BcnLY54iiu
— Paloma Villicana (@PalomaFOX5News) July 13, 2023
What a Josh Jacobs Holdout Could Mean for the Raiders
The Raiders were an upper-echelon offense last season, ranking 11th throughout the league with 5,993 total yards. While the passing attack accounted for nearly 4,000 of them, Jacobs’ role cannot be overlooked. He tallied for 2,053 yards of offense on his own. In total, the 25-year-old running back accounted for over a third of the yards put up by the Raiders last season. If Jacobs held out, the offense would lose a lot of firepower. The back is a threat in the running and passing game. His versatility out of the backfield was on full display last season, as he posted career-highs in targets (64, tied) and receiving yards (400).
Speaking of the passing game, the Raiders moved on from Derek Carr this offseason. To replace him, the team signed Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency. However, he might not be the starting quarterback for Las Vegas. Due to the “Addendum G” clause in his contract, the Raiders could cut Garoppolo if he can not pass a physical by opening day, according to Pro Football Talk. As a result, the starting quarterback is up in the air for Las Vegas. The role of starting signal caller could go to a free agent or someone on the roster already. If Garoppolo cannot play, and the team sticks to the players they have on the roster, there would be a battle between Brian Hoyer and rookie Aidan O’Connell.
Regardless of who the starter is, they will need all the help they can get. If Jacobs is nowhere to be found, there is no way to build a connection with any quarterback on the roster.
What is the Worst-Case Scenario for a Josh Jacobs Holdout?
Not building a rapport with the new-look offense during the offseason is not the worst possible outcome. Seeing as Jacobs is not under contract with the Raiders, he cannot be subjected to fines if he opts to holdout. As this is the case, the running back would not have an admonishment to return. Jacobs could feasibly miss the 2023 season if he holds out. That is the dark timeline for this entire saga. If he is not under contract, Jacobs could choose this outcome.
That means no on-field or fantasy production, and the only person who can prevent this is general manager Dave Ziegler. The kicker is that Jacobs is looking out for his job and health security if he holds out, which is not a faulty offense. The Raiders and Jacobs have until Monday to come to terms on a new contract.
Main Photo: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports
