Las Vegas Raiders coach Josh McDaniels on Monday shut down speculation that running back Josh Jacobs was on the trade.
No, Jacobs hasn’t been showcased even though he was used a lot in the club’s first preseason game. “We have a lot of faith in JJ,” McDaniels said. And, you know, he took his opportunities pretty well, which is what we hoped he would do.”
Jacobs, who was out of fifth year on his contract, had five carries, 30 yards and two catches for 14 yards in the Raiders’ 27-11 Hall of Fame win last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
While speculation swirled around Jacobs’ future over the weekend, he wasn’t the only offensive starter to get significant playing time in Canton, Ohio. While quarterback Derek Carr and receivers Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow were in uniform without playing, four of the five starters on the offensive line were present – center Andre James played three series – and four other running backs saw the stock.
Rookie Zamir White led Las Vegas with 75 yards while Austin Walter rushed for 49 yards and a touchdown on eight carries and caught a three-yard pass. Kenyan Drake, who is coming back from a broken right ankle, had nine yards on five carries, and Ameer Abdullah had a run for an eight-yard major and two catches for 23 yards.
“Like I said after the game, I really believe the backs…can’t really simulate what’s going to happen in the regular season,” McDaniels said. And so giving them the opportunity to get dumped and see football and acclimatize to a new system, quite honestly, I think that’s the goal. Every man is different. »
“We will try to do what is best for the team. We thought it was a good thing, a good opportunity for all our backs who played. »
Earlier in camp, Jacobs said he had no ill will towards the organization after they opted out of their option, instead letting him play the final year of his contract this season.
Jacobs, who missed most of the practice schedule this offseason with an undisclosed injury, seemed motivated and quicker in camp.
“I strongly believe the work you’re doing is going to pay off, and I had to be here anyway,” Jacobs said at the time. And that’s where I want to be. I didn’t have a problem with that. It just gave me one more reason to come every day, get along with the guys and work. »
