Another week, another Josh Jacobs-related story in which we're told that he'll be used more in the passing game this year. It sounds great, and makes sense considering the way he was used in college. It's the team's other personnel moves which make it sound like a lie.
Jacobs caught 48 passes for 571 yards and 5 TDs in his committee role at Alabama. He can catch, and the expectation was he'd get those chances in Oakland. But it didn't happen as a rookie. In 13 games he saw just 2 targets per game (27) and caught 20 passes.
Jacobs last year had 61 percent of the team's rushing yards. Only seven of the league's running backs had a higher percentage. But he accounted for only 4 percent of the receiving yards. That was 3rd among running backs on his own team, and not just 3rd but a distant 3rd. He was a non-factor in that area.
| RUNNING BACK RECEIVING, PERCENT OF TEAM, 2019 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | I.Yds | T.Yds | %Yds |
| Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 1,005 | 4134 | 24% |
| Austin Ekeler, LAC | 993 | 4648 | 21% |
| James White, N.E. | 645 | 4153 | 16% |
| Dalvin Cook, Min. | 519 | 3729 | 14% |
| LeVeon Bell, NYJ | 461 | 3443 | 13% |
| Leonard Fournette, Jac. | 522 | 4023 | 13% |
| Tarik Cohen, Chi. | 456 | 3573 | 13% |
| Miles Sanders, Phil. | 509 | 4063 | 13% |
| Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 533 | 4431 | 12% |
| Aaron Jones, G.B. | 474 | 4017 | 12% |
| Chris Thompson, Was. | 378 | 3205 | 12% |
| Saquon Barkley, NYG | 438 | 4070 | 11% |
| Duke Johnson, Hou. | 410 | 4083 | 10% |
| David Johnson, Ariz. | 370 | 3797 | 10% |
| Nyheim Hines, Ind. | 320 | 3314 | 10% |
| Jaylen Samuels, Pitt. | 305 | 3214 | 9% |
| Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 420 | 4902 | 9% |
| Devonta Freeman, Atl. | 410 | 5049 | 8% |
| Jalen Richard, Oak. | 323 | 4110 | 8% |
| James Conner, Pitt. | 251 | 3214 | 8% |
| Royce Freeman, Den. | 256 | 3401 | 8% |
| Kareem Hunt, Cle. | 285 | 3847 | 7% |
| Mark Ingram, Balt. | 247 | 3350 | 7% |
| Nick Chubb, Cle. | 278 | 3847 | 7% |
| Joe Mixon, Cin. | 287 | 3994 | 7% |
| DeAndre Washington, Oak. | 292 | 4110 | 7% |
| Rex Burkhead, N.E. | 279 | 4153 | 7% |
| Chris Carson, Sea. | 266 | 4110 | 6% |
| Melvin Gordon, LAC | 296 | 4648 | 6% |
| Jamaal Williams, G.B. | 253 | 4017 | 6% |
| Ronald Jones, T.B. | 309 | 5127 | 6% |
| Kyle Juszczyk, S.F. | 239 | 4029 | 6% |
| Giovani Bernard, Cin. | 234 | 3994 | 6% |
| Phillip Lindsay, Den. | 196 | 3401 | 6% |
| Devin Singletary, Buff. | 194 | 3476 | 6% |
| Dare Ogunbowale, T.B. | 286 | 5127 | 6% |
| J.D. McKissic, Det. | 233 | 4187 | 6% |
| Latavius Murray, N.O. | 235 | 4431 | 5% |
| Derrick Henry, Ten. | 206 | 3956 | 5% |
| David Montgomery, Chi. | 185 | 3573 | 5% |
| Boston Scott, Phil. | 204 | 4063 | 5% |
| Patrick Laird, Mia. | 204 | 4117 | 5% |
| Damien Williams, K.C. | 213 | 4690 | 5% |
| Kenyan Drake, Ariz. | 171 | 3797 | 5% |
| Raheem Mostert, S.F. | 180 | 4029 | 4% |
| Tevin Coleman, S.F. | 180 | 4029 | 4% |
| Todd Gurley, LAR | 207 | 4669 | 4% |
| Adrian Peterson, Was. | 142 | 3205 | 4% |
| Kenyan Drake, Mia. | 174 | 4117 | 4% |
| Dion Lewis, Ten. | 164 | 3956 | 4% |
| Josh Jacobs, Oak. | 166 | 4110 | 4% |
| C.J. Ham, Min. | 149 | 3729 | 4% |
| LeSean McCoy, K.C. | 181 | 4690 | 4% |
| Ryquell Armstead, Jac. | 144 | 4023 | 4% |
| T.J. Yeldon, Buff. | 124 | 3476 | 4% |
| Darrel Williams, K.C. | 167 | 4690 | 4% |
The Raiders say a shoulder injury contributed to Jacobs' lack of usage in this area, and that things will be different in 2020. Plus DeAndre Washington signed with Kansas City, leaving only Jalen Richard as the holdover competition for those chances. So maybe.
But talk is cheap. Richard has averaged 62 targets and 52 receptions for the Raiders the last two seasons. The team also reportedly kicked the tires on LeSean McCoy before signing Devontae Booker in free agency. Booker will need to make the team, which isn't certain, but his specialty is also receiving; his first three years in Denver he had 38-51 targets each season for 31, 30 and 38 receptions; 265-275 receiving yards each year.
And then the Raiders drafted running back-wide receiver hybrid Lynn Bowden in the third round, announcing him as a running back. He caught 114 balls and 6 TDs in three years at Kentucky. If he's not going to pick up some of the passing down chances, what exactly is he going to do?
I like Jacobs. If you're sitting in the 10-12 spots of a typical draft, he's a guy you need to consider with either that late first- or early second-round pick. He'll be the main running back behind one of the league's best offensive lines.
But take any talk of him being a three-down back and getting an expanded role in the passing game with a grain of salt. The team's other moves this offseason contradict it.
--Andy Richardson