Josh Jacobs will hold out from Raiders camp unless new contract is worked out

Josh Jacobs is putting all the pressure on the Las Vegas Raiders. The running back will not attend the team’s training camp unless a new contract gets worked out before the start of the season. Paloma Villicana of FOX 5 reported on the news this week.

The NFL deadline for a new agreement is 4 p.m. on Monday. Jacobs plans to hold out if the two sides cannot strike a deal.

Jacobs is scheduled to make $10.1 million on the franchise tender in 2023. But the running back is coming off his second Pro Bowl season in the last three seasons and is looking to cash in.

Last year, Jacobs tallied 1,653 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground for the Raiders. He also totaled 400 yards on 53 receptions while starting in all 17 games.

Jacobs has spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Raiders. He earned Pro Bowl bids in 2020 and 2022. So far, he’s accounted for 4,740 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns on the ground. He’s added 1,152 receiving yards to his production totals in that time, too.

The clock is ticking for Las Vegas if it wants to keep its star running back happy. If not, things could get very interesting ahead of the 2023 season for the Raiders.

Josh Jacobs unhappy with Raiders during 2022 season

The frustration for Jacobs actually started during the 2022 season. Near the end of the squad’s 6-11 campaign, the running back vented while being interviewed following a holiday loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Man, I’m tired of dealing with this s—. I’m tired of dealing with this s—,” Jacobs said. “Every day I come here and bust my ass. I see the guys bust their ass and the result is not there. And, you know, for me, the last four years the result hasn’t been there. Quite frankly, I don’t know what else to do.”

That doesn’t really sound like a comment from a player who has fully bought in to the organization. So, the lack of success on the field combined with the franchise dragging its feet on a new contract? It’s easy to understand why Jacobs would want to hold out from training camp.

But, sometimes these deals get done in the final hours. We’ll see if the two sides reach an agreement in the coming days or if Jacobs has to find something else to do when camp kicks off.