The Las Vegas Raiders offense is going to undergo some big changes with running back Josh Jacobs no longer on the team. He was the centerpiece of the offense for years but signed a four-year, $48 million contract with the Green Bay Packers in free agency.
While Jacobs wanted to stay in Las Vegas and the team also was hoping to re-sign him, the Packers’ offer was too great. There’s been speculation that Jacobs chose the Packers over the Raiders, but according to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, it simply came down to money.
“I am trying my best to stop shooting down people’s reports and keep my monster truck in my lane, but nah, that’s not true,” Tafur wrote in a March 29 mailbag. “The Raiders made what they thought was a fair offer — and it was the second-best offer — but it wasn’t close to the Packers’ offer of $14.8 million guaranteed in Year 1 (and likely $23 million for two years).
“And that’s OK. Jacobs was a great player for the Raiders and took more money to join a playoff team with old buddy Rich Bisaccia on staff. That’s his hard-earned right. The Raiders had a “fair” number they weren’t going to move from, and history shows that is usually wise with running backs.”
Jacobs didn’t seem thrilled with the fact the Raiders didn’t re-sign him but it appears the Packers were offering him much more money than any other team.
Josh Jacobs Reuniting With Rich Bisaccia
As Vic Tafur alluded to, Josh Jacobs is joining a familiar face in Green Bay. Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia was with Jacobs on the Raiders from 2019 to 2021, including his stisnt as the interim head coach in 2021.
Bisaccia may have played a role in why the Packers pursued Jacobs so aggressively, according to head coach Matt LaFleur.
“I think Rich definitely spoke highly of him,” LaFleur said recently, via The Athletic. “I think any time that you have a coach on staff that’s been on another team with a player like that, you’re always interested in hearing what they have to say about him. He raved about the person, the player, the worker.”
Jacobs should fit-in well with the Packers and now doesn’t have to worry about his contract situation for the first time in years.
Will Las Vegas Raiders Miss Josh Jacobs?
Players like Josh Jacobs aren’t easily replaced. It’s looking like Zamir White will be the Raiders’ starting running back next season. The team also signed Alexander Mattison and re-signed Ameer Abdullah.
That’s a strong running back room is White picks up where he left off last season. He took over starting running back duties for an injured Jacobs for the final four games of the season last year and rushed for 397 yards. White looked like the real deal for the Raiders but it’s a small sample size.
If White is good, Las Vegas won’t even think about the loss of Jacobs. If he struggles, the team will likely have some regrets. Regardless, $48 million is a lot to pay a running back in the modern NFL so the Raiders should come out of this situation OK.
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