So far, Josh Jacobs' NFL career has somewhat mimicked the career of former Raider and Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen. Three years after he broke Allen's franchise rookie rushing record, Jacobs led the NFL in rushing, a feat Allen also accomplished during his fourth year in the league. Jacobs, who is slated to become a free agent, may further follow in Allen's footsteps by prematurely leaving the Raiders.
Jacobs, who turned 25 earlier this month, will become a free agent if the Raiders do not re-sign him or place the franchise tag on him before March 15. Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said this week that there is hope that the two sides can come to terms on a long-term deal before free agency begins.
If he is available, Jacobs will one of the most sought after free agents on the open market. Given the current running back economy, Jacobs should be a relatively affordable player. His current projected market value is $61,192,310 over five years for an annual average of $12,238,462, according to Spotrac.
Based on their need for a running back and salary cap situations, here are the top-five potential landing spots for the league's reigning rushing champion.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
This is contingent on whether or not Miles Sanders re-signs with the Eagles. If Sanders is permitted to test the market, Jacobs would be a seamless addition inside an Eagles offense that put up 35 points in the Super Bowl.
While he was a Pro Bowl player last year, Sanders is not a volume runner. He had just two games last year that saw him receive at least 20 carries. He was largely invisible in the Super Bowl as he gained just 16 yards on seven carries. Sanders is good, but it seemed that the Eagles would have benefited by having more of a physical presence in the backfield. They would have that in Jacobs, who had at least 20 carries in nine games last year. Jacobs, who caught 53 passes in 2022, could also serve as a viable option for Jalen Hurts in the passing game.
2. Chicago Bears
With nearly $99 million in cap space, the Bears have the dough to bring Jacobs to the Windy City. Chicago also has a need at the position after quarterback Justin Fields ran for 342 yards more than the Bears' second-leading rusher last season. Speaking of Fields, the Bears want to surround their young quarterback with more talented skill players, so the thought of Jacobs ending up in Chicago makes a lot of sense.
Along with giving him an elite running back, the addition of Jacobs would take some of the burden off of Fields to make plays with his feet. While his 2022 season was one of the most prolific by a quarterback in NFL history in terms of running, Fields paid for it and missed two games with an injury. The Bears need to cut back on Fields' running, and Jacobs would allow them to do that.
3. Miami Dolphins
Miami would have to clear significant cap space, but Jacobs would fit extremely well in South Beach. While their passing game was lethal (when Tua Tagovailoa was healthy) last season, the Dolphins' rushing attack was among the league's least productive. It's imperative that Miami gives Tagovailoa more support as far as the running game is concerned.
Making this scenario more likely is the fact that Miami has a need at running back given that its top-two rushers last year -- Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson -- are free agents. In an ideal situation, the Dolphins could acquire Jacobs, then sign either Mostert or Wilson at an affordable rate to complement Jacobs.
4. Denver Broncos
A strong running game is a quarterback's best friend. Just ask John Elway, who lost three Super Bowls before winning two at the end of his career while sharing a backfield with Hall of Fame runner Terrell Davis. The Broncos would be wise to pair their current quarterback, Russell Wilson, with Jacobs in order to right the ship in Denver.
The Broncos already have a talented running back in Javonte Williams, but with Williams coming off an injury that limited him to just four games last year, the Broncos would be wise to bring in outside help. Jacobs would surely excel in Sean Payton's offense, an offense that Alvin Kamara (among others) thrived in when Payton was in New Orleans.
5. Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals need a spark after what was a nightmarish 2022. They could provide that spark in the form of signing Jacobs, who would provide quarterback Kyler Murray with more firepower. Arizona has the means to make this happen as it currently has nearly $13 million in cap space.
Jacobs would serve as the perfect complement to James Conner, a two-time Pro Bowler who has battled injuries throughout his career. With Murray under center, Jacobs and Conner in the backfield and DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise Brown on the outside, the Cardinals would on paper possess one of the league's top offenses.
