5 best fits for Josh Jacobs

Highlights

• The Raiders still want to keep Jacobs but won’t use a franchise tag due to cost.
• The Ravens could benefit from Jacobs’ rush game to improve their backfield.
• The Chargers are considered likely to sign Jacobs amid Ekeler’s potential departure.

Josh Jacobs is only one of many premier NFL running backs that find themselves due for a contract this offseason. As teams continue to feel weary about overpaying for the position, there have been little to no indications as to where Jacobs may land in free agency.

Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Las Vegas Raiders still hope to retain the 25-year-old RB, but they will not be expected to spend a franchise tag on him that would cost the team roughly $14.1 million for a one-year deal.

Should the Raiders turn their backs on the All-Pro back, there are some intriguing suitors out there for the talented rusher. From joining a divisional rival to becoming a Super Bowl contender, oddsmakers are forecasting a bright future for Jacobs.

1 Baltimore Ravens: +950 odds to sign

The Ravens need a face in the run game

Despite being one of the best run teams in the league last season, the Baltimore Ravens were incredibly unlucky with injuries to their RB room. J.K. Dobbins tore his Achilles in Week 1, Gus Edwards was unreliable from a yardage standpoint, and Keaton Mitchell only saw 47 carries all year.

Derrick Henry has been a rather popular name around Baltimore water coolers for a while now, as it was heavily rumored that the Ravens were close to finalizing a trade just prior to the deadline last October. Should the Ravens fail to come to an agreement with Henry, Jacobs has the potential to fix Baltimore’s backfield. In fact, both him and Lamar Jackson were responsible for two of the three longest runs this season and could make for a powerful duo.

Averaging 61.9 rushing yards per game, Jacobs would at least be able to give the Ravens the consistency that they are lacking at the moment. While Jacobs did only manage 805 rushing yards last year in 13 games, he would have cleared the coveted 1,000 rushing yard mark if he were healthy for the final four games, assuming he maintained his average.

Since he missed the last four games of the season, injury concerns will almost certainly be brought up throughout his contract negotiations. However, prior to the quad injury in Week 14, Jacobs had not missed a game due to injury prior to Week 3 of the 2021 season. As scarred as the Ravens have been by RB injuries, they could do much worse than Jacobs.

2 Dallas Cowboys: +1200 odds to sign

The Cowboys may replace Tony Pollard after falling short in the playoffs

Typically, a team is more than happy to get 1,000 rushing yards out of their RB in any given season. However, in the case of Tony Pollard, it was a bit deflating. Despite seeing an increase in both carries and targets, Pollard’s rushing, receiving, and scoring numbers all declined.

Additionally, the embarrassing first-round loss to the Green Bay Packers this postseason has put everyone affiliated with the Dallas Cowboys under a microscope at the moment. After producing 56 rushing yards on 15 carries and 29 receiving yards on seven receptions in the Wild Card round, while also being in a contract year, Pollard could be on the chopping block.

Jacobs’ season averages were painfully similar to those of Pollards. However, the Cowboys offensive line is clearly better than the Raiders. Jacobs’ level of productivity can give the Cowboys an air of familiarity, while also providing the potential for more upside.

The Cowboys finished with 1,920 total rushing yards in 2023, good for 14th on the season. Should they hope to actually realize their Super Bowl aspirations, they’ll have to improve upon those numbers. If the price is right, Jacobs could be the next star in Dallas.

3 Houston Texans: +850 odds to sign

The Texans are looking to give C.J. Stroud as many weapons as possible

Rookie sensation C.J. Stroud was the surprise of the year this past season. After the young phenom was able to take the Houston Texans on an improbable playoff run, the franchise is now completely bought in.

With Tank Dell and Nico Collins leading the charge in the receiving core, the Texans’ main need on offense now resides at RB. Their 1,647 total rushing yards in 2023 ranked 22nd in the league. If the Texans hope to make it further than the Divisional Round, they’ll have to have a more reliable option in the backfield.

Jacobs, unlike many of the other RBs that are set to hit free agency this year, is relatively healthy and still has some years left ahead of him. Given that the Texans are looking to speed up their rebuild, Jacobs could be the perfect fit from a situational point of view.

Unless they are willing to deal with the larger price tags that will come with the name value of a Saquon Barkley or a Henry, Jacobs may be the best overall option for Houston. However, the Los Angeles Chargers are expected to make a bid of their own. While it’s unclear whether the two teams will find themselves in the middle of a bidding war or not, it’s certainly something worth monitoring as we progress throughout the offseason.

4 Philadelphia Eagles: +2000 odds to sign

The Eagles need to take advantage of their talented offensive line

Last season, the Philadelphia Eagles sought to take on the last year of D’Andre Swift’s rookie contract, courtesy of the Detroit Lions. The four-year veteran was able to produce 1,049 rushing yards and five touchdowns, but may not have stood out enough to earn a long-term deal with the Eagles.

Despite being revered for his dual-threat abilities, Philadelphia opted to limit the receiving reps of Swift. Whether it was the injury history of Swift, or the receiving abilities of Kenneth Gainwell that were responsible for the decision, is unclear, but the end result is the same. Jalen Hurts’ rushing prowess also took a toll on Swift’s scoring numbers as well.

With the Eagles favoring the controversial “tush push” in the red zone, they simply need someone with a more physical style than that of Swift’s. A bruising rusher like Jacobs could feast between the 20s if put behind this Philadelphia O-line.

It’s not likely that the Eagles are the ones to sign him, but giving a RB of Jacobs’ caliber access to the best run blocking in the NFL would probably result in the Eagles being right back in the hunt for the first seed in the playoffs.

5 Los Angeles Chargers: +750 odds to sign

The Chargers are expected to move on from Austin Ekeler this offseason

After averaging 913 rushing yards, 12.5 rushing touchdowns, 684.5 receiving yards, and 6.5 receiving touchdowns over the past two seasons, Austin Ekeler finally came back down to earth in 2023. Ekeler’s reign in L.A. appears to be finally coming to an end after only managing to find 1,064 total scrimmage yards in 14 games.

Oddsmakers are suggesting that we may see two ships passing in the night, as the Chargers are officially the betting favorites to sign Jacobs should he depart from Las Vegas. With so many big names expected to test free agency this year, the bolts are believed to be one of the biggest buyers this offseason.

Jim Harbaugh will be packing a hard-nosed run game in his carry-on bag on his flight to Los Angeles, and it would surely help to get a guy like Jacobs on that flight with him. Regardless of who the Chargers ultimately decide to sign in 2024, it’s fair to say that Jacobs is the sturdiest option on the board.

Justin Herbert is the guy in Los Angeles, and they are looking to put him in the best position possible. That could include taking the pressure off of him by handing the ball to Jacobs.

The good news for fans of Jacobs is that all the teams who he is favored to sign with are either willing to provide him with a ton of volume, or put him behind an elite offensive line. The sky seems to be the limit for Jacobs, as he may be one of the most sought after players at his position heading into the 2024 season.

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.