NFL Rumors: Josh Jacobs, Raiders Contract Talks 'Were Dead' Until Final Days

The Las Vegas Raiders and All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs reportedly made no progress on agreeing to a long-term contract until the closing days prior to Monday's deadline.

According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, contract talks between Jacobs and the Raiders were "dead in the water" until this past weekend when the two sides made a last-ditch effort to find common ground.

Tafur suggested that Jacobs and the Raiders never got particularly close to a deal, by comparing his situation to that of Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram, who got $24 million guaranteed on a three-year deal.

A similar deal would have seen Jacobs get $22.3 million guaranteed, which is the sum of the running back franchise tag this year and next year, but the two sides reportedly "never even got to that number."

With Monday's deadline for a long-term deal coming and going, Jacobs' options are now either signing his franchise tender and playing under the franchise tag in 2023, or holding out and not playing at all this season.

Jacobs was the No. 24 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft out of Alabama, and while he eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in each of his first two seasons, he dipped to 872 yards in 2021 and averaged just 4.0 yards per carry.

The Raiders decided against exercising the fifth-year option in his contract and there were serious questions about how Josh McDaniels would utilize him in his first year as head coach in 2022, but Jacobs went on to have the best season of his career by far.

Starting all 17 games, Jacobs led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,653 and matched his career high with 12 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 53 passes for a career-high 400 yards, giving him a league-leading 2,053 yards from scrimmage.

Jacobs, who averaged a personal-best 4.9 yards per carry, was named a Pro Bowler for the second time and first-team All-Pro for the first time, plus he finished fifth in the Offensive Player of the Year voting.

All of that led to the Raiders placing the $10.091 million franchise tag on Jacobs so they wouldn't lose him in free agency.

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley and Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard found themselves in the same situation as Jacobs on Monday, and neither of them received long-term contracts either.

Jacobs is under no obligation to report to training camp, and he cannot be fined if he doesn't since he has yet to sign the franchise tender.

Perhaps the likeliest option is waiting until late in the preseason to sign before playing in Week 1, although it is far from unprecedented for players to hold out into the season to either force a trade or create leverage for contract negotiations after the season.

The Raiders signed quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, who is a solid caretaker, but he showed during his time with the San Francisco 49ers that he is at his best with a strong running game supporting him.

Jacobs is perhaps the most integral part of the Raiders' offense, and it is difficult to envision them achieving much success in 2023 without him.