3. Josh Jacobs will flourish under new head coach Josh Mcdaniels
The biggest hurdle to Jacobs staying with the Raiders will be the money. It will cost Sin City upwards of $10.1 million in 2023, per USA Today’s Marcus Mosher. That is quite a hefty price tag for Jacobs’s services. McDaniels himself praised Jacobs at the Combine this week, but he didn’t say he was going to extend him.
Financials aside, when you look at what McDaniels accomplished with the New England Patriots run game, things are looking good for Jacobs. With a rookie quarterback at the helm, Damien Harris posted 929 rushing yards. In 2020, the first year McDaniels no longer had Tom Brady, Harris amassed 691 yards.
While the situation that the Raiders find themselves in is different from the Patriots of the last two seasons, Jacobs is clearly a better talent than Harris based on productivity and what they’ve accomplished. It’s possible that with a fully functioning McDaniels offense operating, several players, not just Jacobs, will flourish. Don’t forget that Kenyan Drake will be back in 2022, meaning the Raiders coach will have endless possibilities in design play.
Las Vegas Raiders: 3 surprise cuts prior to 2022 free agency
The Las Vegas Raiders will look to improve their roster in a big way this offseason, and these three players could be surprising cuts.
There’s no reason to rebuild the running back position right now for the Raiders. Extend Jacobs and help keep Drake healthy, and the results on the field will warrant the financial investment.