Free agency in the NFL is about to start just days from now, and there should be a robust running back market this year.
Headlining that market will be names such as Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Austin Ekeler, D’Andre Swift, and Josh Jacobs.
Former NFL player James Jones said on FS1’s “Speak” that Jacobs is the best running back who will be available on the market because he’s an every-down back.
.@89JonesNTAF: The best available running back right now is Josh Jacobs. pic.twitter.com/68xLsCDOMj
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) March 5, 2024
Jacobs, who was the No. 24 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the then-Oakland Raiders, was the runner-up for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award after running for 1,150 yards and seven touchdowns.
In 2022, he led the league with 1,653 rushing yards and 2,053 total yards from scrimmage while scoring 12 touchdowns and being named to the All-Pro First Team.
But in 2023, Jacobs’ production dropped to 805 rushing yards and six touchdowns as the Raiders missed the playoffs for the second year in a row.
As Jones noted, Jacobs is 26 years of age, which means he should have plenty of tread left on his tires, and with 1,448 receiving yards in his five pro seasons, he has some dual-threat ability.
The Raiders will try to retain him on a new contract, but if they aren’t willing or able to pay him what he wants, there will be multiple suitors for him.
The fact that he’s younger than Barkley, Henry, and Ekeler should make him a very attractive player on the open market, and he could possibly take a team to the next level and make it a Super Bowl contender.
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