Las Vegas Raiders: Fans should brace for what could be another rocky season
By Brad Weiss
Will Josh Jacobs return in 2023?
The biggest question of the offseason was not answered on July 17, as the Raiders failed to reach a deal on a new contract for starting running back, Josh Jacobs. Playing after the team declined his fifth-year option last offseason, Jacobs ran wild in 2023, leading the NFL in rushing yards, and proving to be one of the best young running backs in the game.
Going into this offseason, the Raiders placed the franchise tag on him in hopes of getting a new deal done, but as he sat at the facility, the deal was never done. Now, the Raiders will kick off training camp this week likely without the star running back in attendance, which is troubling when you think about the offense in 2023.
The truth is, the talent behind Jacobs at running back is either mediocre, or very young, and the group is not going to be able to replace his production. Jacobs is only going into his age-25 season and is already close to the top of the Raiders' all-time leaderboard in many statistical categories, so he has a real chance to be an all-time great within the franchise.
if Jacobs decides to sit out the 2023 season, you can expect the Raiders to struggle in a big way to get the ground game going. That will lead to way too much pressure on Garoppolo to get it done through the air, or even worse, Brian Hoyer or Aidan O'Connell if Garoppolo goes down with an injury.