Josh Jacobs holdout: Chiefs, Broncos among teams interested in RB if Raiders rescind franchise tag, per report

The vultures are circling the Las Vegas Raiders as their situation with star running back Josh Jacobs continues to fester. And some of those vultures reside within the AFC West. 

It’s been just under a month since the Raiders and Jacobs were unable to reach an agreement on a long-term extension before the deadline to hammer out such a deal with a franchised player. Now, Jacobs is either faced with signing his tender for $10.1 million for the 2023 season, agreeing to a Saquon Barkley-like deal to ensure a bit more money for 2023, being traded, or sitting out the year. Las Vegas could also rescind the franchise tag and simply allow Jacobs to become a free agent. If that last situation comes to fruition, that’s when a few division rivals could pounce. 

The Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos are among the teams interested in Jacobs, according to Pro Football Talk. Jacobs is reportedly aware of the possibility that he could be let go by the Raiders and unbothered by that potential result. If it were to happen, he’d begin looking for contending teams and, as this latest report notes, the Chiefs would be the first team he seeks out. As for Denver, while it may not be considered a clear-cut contender, it could enter the conversation at the right price, per PFT. 

CBS Sports NFL Insider Josina Anderson reports that the Raiders are interested in reopening talks with Jacobs in hopes of getting him to rejoin the team. Jacobs has not reported to training camp and is not subject to fines from the team because he has yet to sign his tender. 

This recent report from Pro Football Talk reiterates that Jacobs is not driven by maximizing his pay for this coming season and instead is standing on principle. He is upset about the events that led him into this situation, including the Raiders not picking up his fifth-year option and not making a meaningful long-term offer after placing the franchise tag on him this offseason. 

If Las Vegas’ efforts are unsuccessful in luring him back, that could result in Jacobs playing somewhere else in 2023 under one of the scenarios we noted above. That, in turn, may see Jacobs going against his current club multiple times this coming season if he truly does ink a deal with a division rival, adding even more spice to this pressure cooker of a situation.