The Raiders and running back Josh Jacobs are at an impasse after contract talks, but Davante Adams laid down the law in addressing the situation.
Somewhat lost in the headlines about Saquon Barkley contract situation with the Giants has been the Las Vegas Raiders putting themselves in a similar situation with Josh Jacobs. After placing the franchise tag on the NFL's rushing leader from 2022, they were unable to reach a deal on a new contract. Jacobs, like Barkley, has also not signed the tag yet, meaning he can hold out in training camp without being fined.
While it does appear that the Raiders were closer to a deal with Jacobs than the Giants were with Barkley, there is still the concern about the ripple effects of not reaching an agreement on a contract — not the least of which is Jacobs potentially wanting out of Vegas.
Raiders star wide receiver Davante Adams was asked about the drama between Jacobs and the club in an appearance on NFL Network's Total Access and the perennial All-Pro candidate made his feelings clear about how much the running back means to the Las Vegas offense.
"If we really want to have a shot at winning the Super Bowl and having all the elite aspirations that we do, we're gonna need that guy," Adams said, via NFL.com. "So I'm praying that we can still figure something out, but also understanding where Josh is coming from and trying to coach him through it at the same time."
Davante Adams on Raiders, Josh Jacobs drama: 'We're gonna need that guy'
Particularly with the departure of Derek Carr and arrival of Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, it's not hard to see why Adams recognizes the importance of Jacobs to the offense. He was a dominant force from the backfield a year ago and could be relied upon even more heavily with some uncertainty under center.
What's more difficult to ascertain, though, is what can actually be done to perhaps start to repair the situation, though.
The deadline to sign franchise-tagged players to long-term contracts has passed, meaning that the options for the 2023 season with the Raiders and Jacobs is for him to play on the tag, the back skips the season while incurring fines, or he demands a trade. That doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room outside of making promises or something of that nature.
As such, even if Adams is right, there are far more ways the Josh Jacobs drama could go south for the Raiders than it could go well. Subsequently, the wide receiver's assessment of the situation could be put to the test if Las Vegas has to weather any part of the season without their star running back.