(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
Before the 2022 season started, the Raiders’ new regime, led by general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels, refused to exercise the fifth-year options on any of the three players selected by the former regime (head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock) in the 2019 draft. Clelin Ferrell, safety Johnathan Abram, and running back Josh Jacobs were all left hanging.
Completely understandable in the cases of Ferrell and Abram, as neither player has lived up to his draft status. But even in the disaster of a 2021 season that the Raiders had, Jacobs showed up and stood out.
Now, if the Raiders want to retain Jacobs, it’ll most likely cost them more than it would have. Jacobs currently ranks third in the NFL with 632 rushing yards, only Cleveland’s Nick Chubb (eight) has more rushing touchdowns than Jacobs’ six, only Chubb, Saquon Barkley, and Derrick Henry have more yards after contact than Jacobs’ 442. Only Chubb and Houston rookie Dameon Pierce has forced more missed tackles than Jacobs’ 36, and only Chubb (24) has more runs of 10 or more yards than Jacobs’ 19.
Jacobs really went off in the Raiders’ 38-20 Sunday win over the Houston Texans — he carried the ball 20 times for 143 yards and three touchdowns.
On this 13-yard run with 3:19 left in the second quarter, Jacobs shoots right through Houston’s defense, up to the third level, and it was only a last-gasp tackle from safety Jonathan Owens that prevented Jacobs from a possible 55- yard house call.
Jacobs can also bounce outside with acceleration and speed, as he showed on this 12-yard run with 10:59 left in the third quarter.
Jacobs’ future is unknown, but he’s had a very impressive contract year to date. He became the first Raiders back to run for more than 140 yards in three consecutive games, and he broke Marcus Allen’s record for most rushing yards in a player’s first 50 career games. Allen was in attendance for Jacobs’ big game Sunday, which meant a lot.
“It’s been huge to see him, especially him being who he is and being a great running back in this game,” Jacobs said of Allen. “To be able to take the time and mentor me and talk to me about the things that he sees, I don’t take that for granted. It’s been huge to be able to have him here and have him be happy for me beating his record.”
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