Could Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs consider holding out Week 1? The 25-year-old will likely not sign the $10.1 million franchise tag by Monday's 4 p.m. EST deadline. NFL insider Tom Pelissero believes that Jacobs could be a holdout beyond training camp.
Pelissero said on "The Rich Eisen Show" that he truly believes that New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is more likely to play this season than Jacobs. He said that the Raiders running back, who was the NFL's leading rusher last season, thinks that he is worth more than the franchise tag offers.
Tom Pelissero said that he doesn't believe that the running back will show up to Raiders training camp. Or perhaps even play in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season.
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"You know, with Jacobs, he's the NFL's leading rusher, and he had to prove that he was worth keeping for $10 million plus," Pelissero said. "I would not expect him to show up for training camp, and I don't know if he shows up for Week 1. Have to see how it plays out.
"Obviously, if you start missing games, it's hard to go back to the team and say, 'OK, now I want all the money, but only for 14 games.' But that would be the one potential thing that could happen."
Rookie RB Bijan Robinson to make more than Josh Jacobs in 2023
The Atlanta Falcons drafted running back Bijan Robinson with the No. 8 selection in the 2023 NFL draft. Being a high first-round draft pick will guarantee a player a more lucrative contract than other rookies.
As the discussion continues around the running back position being undervalued, an interesting number has come into play: that of Robinson's rookie salary in 2023.
The rookie out of the University of Texas is set to make a little over $13 million in his first season. His salary is about a million dollars more than other NFL running backs currently in the league.
While Robinson's total payout this season likely includes a signing bonus, it does support the running backs' position on their salaries. Will the value of an NFL running back ever see an increase?
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