Las Vegas will have to make decision on star running back
Teams can begin talking to free agents from other teams in just 20 days and today represents a big step toward NFL free agency as the league is opening the window when teams can apply the franchise tag to pending free agents.
The deadline for teams to apply the franchise and transition tags is March 5 at 1 p.m. PT.
The one player on the Las Vegas Raiders, of course, who may be a candidate to be giving the franchise tag is running back Josh Jacobs.
The Raiders gave Jacobs the franchise tag last year after he came off of a 2022 season in which he led the league with 1,653 rushing yards. Jacobs held out into August and then agreed on a new one-year contract.
If the Raiders give Jacobs the franchise tag again it will cost the Raiders $14.16 million which is steep for a running back. Plus, Jacobs didn’t have a great 2023 season.
Jacobs had just 805 rushing yards (with an impressive 3.5 yards per carry average) and he missed the final four games due to injury. Plus, his backup, Zamir White ran will in Jacobs’ absence.
So, the Raiders may be reluctant to apply the franchise tag to Jacobs again.