Josh Jacobs couldn’t have picked a better team to have the best season of his professional career. After having his fifth-year option declined by the Las Vegas Raiders before the season, the 2019 first-round pick out of Alabama turned in a monster season.
Any plans to deploy a similar running back rotation in Las Vegas as Josh McDaniels did with the New England Patriots went out the door quickly. Josh Jacobs blew away all of his previous career highs as he became the focal point of the Raiders’ offensive attack.
Josh Jacobs led the NFL in offensive touches with 393 and yards from scrimmage with 2,053. He led the league with 1,653 rushing yards, handling 340 carries and scoring a career-high tying 12 touchdowns. 53 receptions and a career-high 400 receiving yards rounded out his statistics.
An All-Pro First-Team and Pro Bowl nomination were both earned as Josh Jacobs set himself up for a big payday in the offseason. While running back is a position that teams have devalued in recent seasons, there is still a market for players as productive as Josh Jacobs.
His free agent market should be a strong one as long as he reaches it and the Raiders don’t place the franchise tag on him. One team that has been suggested as a landing spot for him is the Kansas City Chiefs.
Joining what has been his AFC West rivals the first four seasons of his career would be a huge blow to the Raiders. Having to game plan against him after having him on their side the last four years would really stick it to the new regime that declined his fifth-year option and then rode him as the only consistent part of their offense.
Bolstering the backfield is something that the Chiefs could certainly consider. Clyde Edwards-Helaire was selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft but is no longer a part of the team’s running back rotation.
Isiah Pacheco took over the early-down role down the season and provided the team with a lot of value as a productive seventh-round pick. Combined with Jerick McKinnon, Kansas City has had a productive backfield.
While Josh Jacobs would bring both a bruising rushing style and has improved as a pass catcher, it would be a bit surprising to see the Chiefs pay a premium price for a running back. There are other positions on the roster that are going to require investments and with Pacheco locked into an affordable deal, it would not be fiscally responsible for the Chiefs to spend lavishly on Josh Jacobs.
Josh Jacobs will assuredly cash in this offseason, likely earning more than the Chiefs will be able or even willing to pay to another running back.
