While preseason games don’t count on an official record, the Las Vegas Raiders had to feel good about defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 of the offseason. The Raiders won 34-7 over their long-time rivals, giving the franchise something positive.
There has been a lot of negativity around Sin City this offseason, with the main reason being the status of running back Josh Jacobs. Jacobs had the franchise tag placed on him earlier this offseason, putting a deadline of July 17th to get a long-term deal in place.
No deal was reached, which has led to Jacobs holding out from training camp. There were rumors that he was willing to hold out into the regular season without a long-term deal and with each passing day, that becomes more of a reality.
It is anyone’s guess when Jacobs will come back to the Raiders as the relationship is strained, to say the least. There have been a lot of opinions on the running back market in the league, and the situation between Jacobs and Las Vegas specifically.
One person who recently spoke out about it is Raiders legend, Marcus Allen. He took a shot at his old franchise, as he doesn’t believe that Jacobs, or any running back for that matter, have been treated fairly recently.
“I clearly understand what he’s going through,” Allen said of Jacobs. “I’m just going to say it – it’s almost like collusion. They decided that the running back position is one that their productivity is only for a short period of time, instead of looking at each and every one individually. They’ve decided, as a group, that they’re not going to pay them. So, I can understand what [running backs are] thinking and what they’re feeling. So, hopefully things get resolved, because to me, [Jacobs is] like the heart and soul of the team.”
It is hard to envision the Raiders finding much success on the field without Jacobs being there. He is an integral part of their game plan as he led the NFL in rushing yards, total touches and total yards last season.
Removing that kind of production from the offense will be a major detriment to the Raiders. Jacobs’ absence has had a negative impact on the team as well, which has led to frustrations from players, such as star wide receiver Davante Adams.
