Graney: Window has opened for Raiders, Jacobs to strike deal

Those cheers you heard Tuesday morning might have come from the Raiders’ headquarters.

That’s because there is a blueprint now for agreeing to terms with running back Josh Jacobs, one the team should immediately embrace. Question is, would Jacobs play along?

We’re also about to see how much the Raiders really want him.

If they actually do, management should be happier than owner Mark Davis when watching his Aces play. If not, those silver and black heels really are dug in.

I’m not sure this was how some of the NFL’s best running backs envisioned things going when holding a Zoom call recently to discuss the declining market for their position.

Major news came when Giants running back Saquon Barkley — who reportedly took part in the call along with Jacobs — signed his franchise tag and reported to training camp.

Could it now lead to Jacobs signing his own reworked tender and joining his Raiders teammates, who will practice for the first time Wednesday.

Change of direction

The deal for Barkley is reportedly a one-year franchise tag adjusted from $10.1 million to a guaranteed $11 million with incentives up to $909,000.

Yeah. The Giants got the best side of that contract.

It doesn’t at all mean Jacobs would be interested in such a change of direction. He has staunchly refused to sign the franchise tag after leading the NFL in rushing last season. Has let his feelings be known across social media more than once.

He wanted a long-term deal, of which he and the Raiders couldn’t come to an agreement on before the deadline for franchised players to do so.

So he’s out there somewhere, waiting, wondering, left with little leverage.

“Look, I respect every player’s right to try to do what’s best for them,” Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said. “That’s why the league is what it is in terms of value and contracts, and those things are personal. We all have to go through them. I understand it. I’ve said it multiple times this spring. I respect (Jacobs) tremendously. I have a great deal of respect for him as a player, as a person, what he did for our team last year.

“And I respect that process, too. It’s his decision to make, and I know they all have to do what they think is best for them. Like I said, we all have to do those things in our lives, and I have a great deal of respect for him.”

The Raiders should increase the offer to Jacobs to more than what Barkley received. They should add $2 million of guaranteed money. They could easily make it work.

Until now, each side has done what was expected. The Raiders should have absolutely tagged a player — no matter how strong a season from which he came off — whose position is the least valued across the NFL. Jacobs should have absolutely responded in the way he has.

But there might be a sort of middle ground now. There might be an opening. A window of opportunity.

An accelerated process

“Right now, I mean, it is what it is,” McDaniels said. “Certain things can change, obviously we know that, but that’s obviously a lot of his decision, and I respect whatever he chooses to do. I look forward to seeing him when we see him.”

As a coach, McDaniels said he’d love to have every player in camp. “That’s just obviously a preference of ours so we can work with each player. But when that is we’ll see.”

There is a blueprint. Barkley’s deal made sure of that.

Missing training camp is one thing. Missing game checks is entirely different.

Jacobs will eventually show up, but maybe now the process is accelerated.

We’ll see now how much the Raiders really want him.

And how long he’s willing to stay away.

Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.