Josh Jacobs picked the right time to have the best season of his career. After 12 weeks, Jacobs leads the NFL in rushing yards, yards per game, and yards from scrimmage. He’s playing at an All-Pro level and it’s just in time as he’s about to get paid.
In a recent article by Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus, he wrote about the top 25 free agents set to hit free agency in March of 2023. That included Jacobs, who was ranked as the top running back in his free-agent class.
Here is what Spielberger had to say about the former first-round pick from Alabama and his free-agent status:
“Jacobs’ 93.4 rushing grade in 2022 is the top mark at the position, and his cumulative 93.4 rushing grade over his first four seasons also leads the pack, with his 241 missed tackles forced over the span second and his 108 explosive rushes fourth. All the while, he’s picking up 72.0% of his rushing yards after first contact — a top-20 figure among qualifying running backs.
While he’ll never be known as a receiver or pass-blocker, he’s a net positive in both facets for his career, giving him true workhorse value like we’ve seen this season in Las Vegas. Jacobs has been a major beneficiary of his fifth-year option for 2023 not being exercised by this new regime.”
As mentioned by Spielberger, the Raiders did decline the fifth-year option for Jacobs this offseason. However, there is still a chance that the team could bring him back before he hits the open market.
Regardless if he’s back in Las Vegas or not, Jacobs is going to get paid after having a huge season. The Raiders are hopeful that he can continue to play at this level and help them get back to .500 before the end of the month.
