The Las Vegas Raiders retained running back Josh Jacobs this offseason by assigning him the franchise tag, but the two sides don’t appear close to reaching a long-term deal before Monday’s 4 p.m. ET franchise tag extension deadline. Once that deadline passes, Jacobs will no longer be allowed to sign a multi-year contract with the Raiders until the 2023 campaign concludes.
However, there are two ways that Jacobs could exit Las Vegas’ roster: the Raiders could trade him to another club, or they could rescind his franchise tag. If Jacobs is traded, he’d still have to play out the 2023 season on the franchise tag. But if Vegas rescinds his tender, he’d be free to sign a multi-year deal with any team (including, theoretically, the Raiders).
Which clubs might be interested in Jacobs if he’s available via trade or as a free agent? Let’s run through the top options, starting with one of the Raiders’ AFC West rivals.
Top Josh Josh Jacobs Landing Spots
Denver Broncos
Speaking to ESPN earlier this month, Broncos running back Javonte Williams said he’s “ready to go” for training camp after tearing his ACL in Week 4 of last season. But Williams, a second-round pick in 2021, also couched his response about his potential availability.
“It’s just all about the evaluation, how the Broncos feel about it,” Williams said. “… Just seeing how I feel, moving, just trying to get my speed back to normal, things like that.”
As Sean Payton aims to turn Russell Wilson’s career around, Denver could shift to a run-heavy offense next season. The Broncos added former Bengals running back Samaje Perine to complement Williams and also signed run-blocking-centric offensive linemen Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers. If Denver still has concerns about Williams’ knee, Jacobs would represent a more impactful starting back than Perine.
The Raiders likely wouldn’t trade Jacobs to a team within their division, so the only way the Broncos would have access to the 25-year-old is if Las Vegas pulls his tag. That scenario seems unlikely, but Denver would likely inquire about Jacobs if he somehow hit the open market.
Miami Dolphins
While the Dolphins have addressed their backfield this offseason by re-signing Rasheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. and using a third-round pick on Devon Achane, they’ve still been heavily linked to free agent RB Dalvin Cook. They’ve offered a deal to Cook, according to the Miami Herald, but ESPN has since reported that Cook is not satisfied with the Dolphins’ proposal.
Clearly, the Dolphins are open to adding more talent to their running back room. Jacobs, who led the league in rushing in 2022 and generated more rushing first downs (93) than any other RB, is the best back who could potentially be available and was far more productive than Cook was last season.
General manager Chris Grier hasn’t shown a willingness to give running backs multi-year contracts, and the fact that Cook hasn’t accepted Miami’s offer probably means it’s relatively team-friendly. The Dolphins might not want to commit to an RB like Jacobs, but given they’re as “all-in” as nearly any team in the NFL, a trade for Jacobs could make sense.
Buffalo Bills
Speaking of AFC clubs that have a lot on the line in 2023, the Bills are second in the league in active cash spending at more than $300 million, per Over the Cap. After being ousted by the Chiefs or Bengals in each of the last three postseasons, Sean McDermott’s club is once again in Super Bowl-or-bust mode.
Buffalo’s offseason machinations have indicated that they’re interested in building a more effective power-running game. Interior offensive line additions like Connor McGovern and O’Cyrus Torrence should give the Bills more beef up front, while Damien Harris and Latavius Murray profile as more bruising options than projected starter James Cook.
While the Bills currently have just $5.3 million in available cap space, they have plenty of veteran contracts that could be restructured to create room for a back like Jacobs. It would be an extremely aggressive move that might be out of character for Buffalo, but we saw them take an assertive swing last offseason by signing Von Miller to a $120 million pact.
New England Patriots
The Patriots let Harris walk in free agency and haven’t replaced him, signaling that New England will again roll with Rhamondre Stevenson as its primary back. However, they have been tied to Cook, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the Patriots are “at least intrigued” by the idea of adding the former Viking.
Jacobs would be more expensive than Cook, but if New England is searching for a complement to Stevenson, they probably won’t find a better option. Bill Belichick has a history of acquiring undervalued assets via trade — if he believes Jacobs could help in what could be a make-or-break year, the Patriots could have interest.