Las Vegas Raiders: 3 surprises from the 2022 Hall of Fame Game
Josh Jacobs starts at running back
With a new regime in town, there are plenty of players who are looking to re-establish their footing within the organization. Since being selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Josh Jacobs has been the feature back for the Raiders, but the new front office did not pick up his fifth-year option this offseason.
That means Jacobs will likely play with a chip on his shoulder this season but has said that he is with the Raiders, and that is where he wants to be. Usually, starting running backs do not play the first preseason game, as was the case for the Jaguars, but there was Jacobs, starting and playing in the first few series of the game.
The fact that he played in this game is a testament to how the new front office thinks about him, and how he is going to have to earn his starting job in Year 4. He looked outstanding early for the Raiders, so he did himself a favor, but this was definitely a surprising turn of events.