NFL franchise tag 2023: 10 players most likely to be tagged

8. Top Franchise Tag Candidates – Las Vegas Raiders RB Josh Jacobs

Few players took the decision to have their fifth-year option declined more personally than Jacobs, who put together a career year for the Raiders. Jacobs led the league in rushing and was the centerpiece of Las Vegas’ offense, setting him up for a huge payday on the free agent market.

The strong season that Jacobs put together has made the decision of what to do with him much more complicated for Las Vegas, which was clearly ready to move on from him prior to the start of the year. Jacobs is just 25 years old but has logged over 1,100 touches in four seasons, a significant workload that could lead to a quicker decline than most players his age.

When you factor in the uncertainty that the Raiders have at quarterback after cutting Derek Carr it makes more sense to keep Jacobs in the fold for another year. The franchise tag value for running backs is one of the best values in the league at just under $11 million, making it a no-brainer to retain a talented back to potentially ease the burden on a young quarterback.

The other possibility the tag offers is the ability for Las Vegas to trade Jacobs and acquire more draft capital to retool their roster. Letting Jacobs walk wouldn’t send any compensation the Raiders’ way so the tag makes sense to let the franchise explore their options a bit longer.