According to a report, Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs is expected to end his holdout soon, clearing the way for the Raiders to have their homegrown star in action when the season begins.
“Running back Josh Jacobs is expected to report to the Raiders before their season opener in three weeks, multiple league sources have indicated,” wrote Raiders insider Vincent Bonsignore.
It’s a big development for the Raiders. Jacobs has been away from the team all offseason due to a contract dispute. The 25-year-old’s return may give the group a shot of life as it prepares for the 2023 campaign.
In the 2022 season, Jacobs had the best year of his NFL career. Across 17 games (all starts), he accumulated 1,653 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. He led the league in numerous categories and was very efficient in the process, averaging 4.9 yards per carry.
The Raiders have made the playoffs just once since Jacobs was drafted in 2019. He was a first-round pick, and he’s certainly given the organization everything it could have hoped for from a production standpoint when it drafted him.
A playoff win is a box Jacobs and the Raiders are still looking to check. Las Vegas holds an 0-1 playoff record since Jacobs’ NFL debut, something the sides are undoubtedly looking to change this coming season.
The 2023 campaign marks the beginning of a new era for the organization with Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback. The veteran passer will look to make a good impression, and if all goes to plan, he’ll be throwing to Jacobs pretty frequently.
The running back made a major impact in the passing game last season, totaling 53 catches for 400 yards. Between his rushing and receiving yards, he finished the season with 2,053 yards from scrimmage.
Las Vegas is seen as a major underdog in the AFC West, but the squad will look to prove its doubters wrong when the season begins. The Raiders will open things up on Sept. 10 against the Denver Broncos as they prepare to play three of their first four games on the road.
With Jacobs seemingly on track to return for Las Vegas, perhaps a wave of optimism will soon wash over the organization and its fans.
