Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs is not on the trading block, first-year head coach Josh McDaniels told reporters at training camp in Henderson, Nev., on Monday.
Rumors that Jacobs, who is entering his fourth NFL season, all with the Raiders, began to circulate when he was among a few offensive starters to play in the preseason opener on Thursday, a 27-11 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
“We have a lot of confidence in J.J., and, you know, he did well with his opportunities, which we hoped he would. … But, no, we have no desire to do that at all,” McDaniels said, referring to a possible trade.
Jacobs rushed five times for 30 yards and caught a pair of passes for 14 yards against Jacksonville. It marked his first preseason snaps since 2019.
Jacobs has played in 43 games, with 42 starts, over three seasons. He rushed for 1,150 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games as a rookie in 2019 and followed up with 1,065 yards and 12 scores in 15 games the next season. Last season, his rushing yards (872) and carries (217) declined, although he still racked up nine touchdowns.
Jacobs also was targeted as a receiver 64 times last season, easily a career high, and made 54 catches for 348 yards.
McDaniels says his players, including most of the starting offensive line, were being given an early opportunity “to actually get tackled, take care of the football and get acclimated to a new system, quite honestly, I think is the goal. Each man’s different.”
The Raiders did not pick up Jacobs’ fifth-year option this offseason, a decision that comes before a player begins his fourth season.
This year’s draft added to competition for playing time among Raiders running backs, however. Zamir White, a fourth-round draft pick out of Georgia, rushed 11 times for 52 yards on Thursday. Austin Walters, who also is going into his fourth NFL season, had eight carries for 49 yards.
–Field Level Media