Raiders mailbag: Josh Jacobs on the mind of fans

The Raiders and running back Josh Jacobs face a July 17 deadline to come to terms on a long-term contract, otherwise he will play the 2023 season on the $10.09 million franchise tag.

Or maybe he doesn’t play at all if the training camp holdout he is considering extends to the regular season. That seems unlikely, but until Jacobs is signed, be it on a new deal or the franchise tag, it is safe to wonder how this will all play out.

And Raiders fans have a lot of questions.

Here is a sampling of what arrived in this week’s Raiders mailbag:

TWade (@cheecho6): What percentage confidence do you have that the Raiders and Josh Jacobs agree to a deal before the deadline?

VINCENT BONSIGNORE: To each side’s credit, they have done a good job of keeping a tight lid on negotiations. But the sense is, especially after Jacobs’ team revealed he will not report to camp if a deal is not consummated by the July 17 deadline, a significant gap remains between what he is asking for and what the Raiders are offering. And that is consistent with what has been going on for some time now.

Can that ground be made up between now and the 17th? It’s certainly possible. But it feels like the probability of that happening is remote.

Shawn Johnson (@Godfather_JS): What’s the update with Jimmy Garoppolo? If he can’t go, are we really going to start Brian Hoyer? Have they had any conversations about bringing in another QB?

VB: There has been no anxiety expressed — both in public or in private — about Garoppolo’s availability to start this season. Does that mean he will be a day one participant in training camp? That remains to be seen.

The sense is the Raiders and Garoppolo are going to be as prudent as possible about his comeback from foot surgery, so it makes sense they might delay his start to training camp in their efforts to be as cautious as possible.

That said, expect to see a lot of Hoyer, Aidan O’Connell and Chase Garbers during the preseason.

No sense that they are thinking about adding another quarterback. And yes, Hoyer would be the first man up if Garoppolo isn’t available.

Steve @ Vegas Raiders Blog (@VegasRaidersBlg): Let’s say Josh Jacobs doesn’t sign. He then can’t sign a long-term deal until after the season, so is it more likely he misses camp only or misses regular season games?

VB: That is correct. It makes sense from Jacobs’ perspective to skip camp as he needs to avoid any serious injuries that could sabotage his contract quest next offseason. No sense in putting himself in harm’s way at a point in the season where he isn’t getting paid.

The regular season is a different issue, and it is difficult to imagine Jacobs sitting out — and sacrificing pay — to protest something that, by rule, isn’t eligible to be resolved until the end of this season.

Todd Lambert (@tlambert111): Do you see the Raiders signing anyone else for the linebacker room? On paper, it appears to be a very weak position on this ballclub

VB: Agreed, and arguably the weakest position on the club. In terms of signing someone else, yes, at some point, it behooves them to add reinforcements, but that will mostly likely come at the midway point or beyond of camp.

Rob Taylor (ee@Hossco75): Do you think there is any chance they trade Josh Jacobs and go after someone else?

VB: Yes, although remote. It would require that another team be willing to surrender attractive assets, then also be willing to meet Jacobs’ contract demands. And they would have to do it quickly as the July 17th deadline applies to the trading team, as well.

In other words, they would have to make the trade and then sign him to a new deal before Monday at 1 pm. Otherwise, he would have to play this season on the franchise tag and potentially leave as a free agent next March.

Wiggity Wiggity Wack (@RaiderNationVA): If Josh Jacobs is offered a contract at the last minute that he signs, how does this affect his relationship with the coaching and front office staff? Especially if it is below what he expects, but is just good enough to put pen to paper.

VB: Don’t see Jacobs signing a contract that doesn’t meet his expectations. So if he does agree on a new deal, he’d obviously be happy with the terms. But even if he has to play on the franchise tag, one would imagine he’d be motivated to put himself in a great position to sign a lucrative deal next year. So expect him to do so professionally.

Sport Straource Bob (@SportSourceBob): How confident are you in Zamir White? What does he look like this offseason?

VB: He looked good in OTAs and minicamp. But until he does it in the regular season, it’s impossible to really know.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.