Major update on Raiders' contract talks with Josh Jacobs revealed

The news comes just days after NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported on “The Rich Eisen Show” that Jacobs turned down a deal from the Raiders worth around $12 million per season, which would have made him the fifth-highest paid RB in the NFL.

Although there’s a  real possibility Jacobs’ holdout could drag on into the regular season, Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels doesn’t seem too concerned with when the former first-round pick will return to the team.

“I think everybody loves and respects JJ and understands the process,” McDaniels recently told SI.com. “I certainly do. And I’ve said it a million times this year: I love the player and the person, and I understand the process he’s going through. We’re going to work as hard as we can with the guys that are here every day, and ultimately when he’s back, we’re going to look forward to getting him back and integrated into the group.”

Jacobs, who is set to make $10.1M in 2023 under the franchise tag, has a projected market value is $12.8M per season, according to Spotrac. Since he’s not under contract with the Raiders, he can’t be fined for sitting out training camp. Jacobs just has to report to the team before its Week 1 matchup against the Denver Broncos in order to avoid losing any money.

If the two sides can’t reach an agreement before the start of the regular season, the Raiders could explore trading the 2022 rushing champ. The Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers could all be in the market for a new starting RB.