The Baltimore Ravens appear to be revitalized this season. It starts with their quarterback, Lamar Jackson, who was freed from a contentious contract dispute when he received a five-year, $260 million contract from the team.
The Ravens are 6-2 after defeating the Arizona Cardinals by a final score of 31-24 in Week 8 action.
However, some still doubt that Baltimore is a true Super Bowl contender. The doubters will point to the fact that the team ranks in the middle of the pack in passing yards and touchdowns and that other than tight end Mark Andrews and rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers, they do not have another bona fide playmaker on offense.
The Ravens, as they historically have, are built around defense, where they’re one of the NFL’s best, and a run-heavy offense. Nate Davis of USA Today thus suggests they make a big play for Las Vegas Raiders star running back Josh Jacobs.
“Though Baltimore ranks third league-wide rushing the ball, 36% of that production comes from Jackson’s legs,” wrote Davis. “Jacobs is going nowhere fast with Las Vegas, which franchise-tagged the 2022 NFL rushing champion in the offseason but never extended his deal. Jacobs’ production on the ground is down about 50% this year for a middling-at-best team, but he could really augment a Ravens backfield that lost RB J.K. Dobbins in Week 1 to an Achilles injury. Jacobs, who’s tracking toward his third consecutive season with at least 50 receptions, could also be the safety valve Jackson’s never really reliably had at running back.”
Perhaps Jacobs’ 2022 season in which he led the league with 1,653 rushing yards was somewhat of an aberration, but even prior to that, he was clearly a solidly productive tailback. He went above 1,000 rushing yards in both of his first two seasons, and he has been named to the Pro Bowl in his four previous pro campaigns.
Josh Jacobs held out in training camp looking for a lucrative new contract. But the Raiders refused to give him the deal he wanted, which was symptomatic of how the running back market across the league has hit rock bottom. He ended up agreeing to a one-year deal worth $12 million, which means he will be a free agent at the end of this season.
If the Ravens are willing to give the 25-year-old a contract that will last more than one year, perhaps he would be worth giving up two or three (or more) draft picks for.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
