The Las Vegas Raiders made a curious decision to play starting running back Josh Jacobs in the Hall of Fame game against the Jacksonville Jaguars last Thursday. Not only did Jacobs play, he was in on more than one drive before hitting the showers.
It’s notable because Jacobs was the only skill-position player to suit up for the Raiders’ first exhibition matchup, leading Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk to openly wonder if the Pro Bowl running back was being showcased for a trade.
Florio’s suggestion had plenty of merit, in that the Raiders declined the fifth-year option for Jacobs, which means he’s on the last year of his contract. Once the season concludes, Jacobs can hit free agency, able to land with the highest bidder, if he chooses.
But that’s not what’s happening in Vegas. As Josh McDaniels, the new head coach of the Raiders passes along, the team has no intention of trading Jacobs.
“JJ’s a guy we know what he’s done. We have a lot of confidence in JJ. He did well with his opportunities. We have no desire to do that (trade) at all.”
Josh McDaniels on Josh Jacobs trade rumor
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Why did Josh Jacobs play in the preseason opener?
Coach McDaniels has a perfectly good explanation for why Jacobs played, and other players such as Hunter Renfrow and other starting receivers didn’t. He says it’s a matter of preference.
McDaniels believes it’s “good for backs” to get some experience carrying the ball in the preseason, preparing for the real thing. It sounds as if he doesn’t want his backs’ first contact to come in the regular season, perhaps shocking them after so much time off. In other words, he hopes getting their feet wet now can help prevent an early fumble in Week 1.
It’s a fair approach to take. Maybe now, next preseason when we see Jacobs (if he’s retained) playing in exhibition games, there won’t be any questions or silly trade rumors spring out of nowhere. It will be the expectation based on his past coaching tendencies.
Then again, it wouldn’t be the first time a coach says one thing to the public, and the team goes and does another. But by all appearances, the Raiders aren’t looking to part with their Pro Bowl back and are instead hoping for him to lead the way once again, while mixing in other backs on the depth chart in various situations.
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