The Raiders have significant cap space entering the 2020 offseason. That means they will likely target several high-priced free agents once again. One of the reasons the Raiders will be able to be aggressive in free agency is that many of their top performers are on rookie contracts.
In a recent piece by Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report, running back Josh Jacobs was named the best value on the Raiders’ roster. Playing at a near Pro Bowl level in 2019, Jacobs totaled over 1,300 yards in 13 games for the Raiders. Take a look at Gagnon’s thoughts on Jacobs and his contract:
Put simply, Jacobs was one of the most effective running backs in the NFL in his age-21 season. And considering his light workload at Alabama, he should have many top-level years ahead of him.
That’s great news for the Raiders, who are giving him an average of less than $3 million over the course of a rookie deal that expires in three years. And because Jacobs was a first-round pick, they’ll also have him under their control with a fifth-year option in 2023, if they so choose.