Yes. there’s value in withholding services.
Raiders running back Josh Jacobs proved it on Saturday, emerging with an enhanced one-year deal after staying away from training camp and the preseason for a month.
For the first time in the 30-year history of the franchise tag, a team kicked in more base salary than the player would have earned under the one-year guaranteed tender. Earlier this year, Giants running back Saquon Barkley secured an incentive package above the $10.1 million base rate, with up to $900,000 in incentives. In contrast, Jacobs has a base of $11.8 million, with another $200,000 in incentives.
While it’s unkown whether Barkley could have gotten a similar contract if he’d boycotted practice for a month, Jacobs drew a line in the sand and won.
It helped that Jacobs was truly upset with the team, that it wasn’t an act. When they didn’t pick up his fifth-year option last year and then didn’t make a meaningful long-term offer after a great 2022 season forced the franchise tag, Jacobs was genuinely miffed.
The Raiders still have the ability to tag Jacobs again in 2024. But the one-year price tag will be at least $14.16 million, a 20-percent raise of his salary in 2023. Barkley is on track for a salary of $12.12 million next year, if tagged again.
That’s a potential two-year haul for Jacobs of $25.96 million under the tag. Given the current running back market, that’s a damn good deal.
