Raiders report: Josh Jacobs rants on Twitter while team practices

Raiders running back Josh Jacobs hasn’t signed the franchise tag and remains away from the team.

But he was still active during Thursday’s practice.

Jacobs clicked the like button and replied to several posts on Twitter while the Raiders were on the field for their second training camp practice that indicated he is frustrated with his situation.

After a fan posted that Jacobs was replaceable, the 2022 NFL rushing leader fired back.

“Let’s see them do it then,” he posted.

A July 17 deadline passed for Jacobs and the team to agree on a long-term contract. Now he must either play on the franchise tag, sign an amended one-year contract or sit out the season.

There were reports that the team offered Jacobs $12 million per season, but on Thursday he liked posts saying he clearly wants to stay more than one year and that there’s a “difference between 12 million with incentives and 12 million with guarantees.”

Jacobs also expressed frustration with some opinions he has seen about his situation.

“Common sense not too common clearly,” he posted among several other replies and likes.

The situation with Jacobs is part of an NFL-wide push by several high-profile running backs to reverse a trend of salaries at the position stagnating or declining while compensation soars at other positions.

Saquon Barkley was in the same position as Jacobs before agreeing to a new one-year deal with the Giants this week and reporting to camp. His decision, which he called an “epiphany,” left Jacobs as the last tagged running back who has not reported to camp.

Before Barkley signed his contract, several of those high-profile backs held a video conference in which the possibility of Barkley and Jacobs sitting out the season was reportedly among several ideas discussed.

Jacobs liked a post Thursday from an internet blog that joked about Jacobs telling Barkley he can’t believe “we” are going to sit out the season and had Barkley responding with a clip from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” with the Uncle Phil character exuberantly laughing about the use of the word “we.”

“I have a great deal of respect for him as a player, as a person and what he did for our team last year, and I look forward to seeing him whenever he is here,” coach Josh McDaniels said Tuesday. “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.”

High praise

Several veteran players, including defensive ends Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones, have spoken about being impressed with defensive end Adam Plant, an undrafted rookie free agent from Bishop Gorman High School and UNLV.

Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham joined the chorus Thursday.

“One of the positives, obviously the size,” Graham said of the 6-foot-5-inch, 265-pounder. “You want to have some size down there in terms of length, he has that. And really anytime you hear about the positive vibes and stuff (from veterans about rookies), it’s because guys are working hard.”

No trash talk

Jones insists he hasn’t talked much trash to new teammate Jakobi Meyers, whose late-game blunder when he was with the Patriots led to a Jones touchdown on perhaps the wildest play of the 2022 NFL season.

Trash talk isn’t in his repertoire.

“I’m more of a jokester,” said Jones, laughing. “No trash at all. Not to talk about the past, but I thank him for doing that. I thank him, for sure. But there’s no trash, there’s no slander at all.”

Nominated

Several former Raiders were among the semifinalists selected for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame by the Seniors Committee on Thursday.

Wide receiver Art Powell, who played for the team from 1963 to 1966 and was one of the league’s top deep threats, finished his career with 8,046 receiving yards and 81 touchdowns in 10 seasons.

Defensive back Albert Lewis spent the final five seasons of his 14-year career with the Raiders in Los Angeles and Oakland. He had 42 interceptions and blocked 11 kicks.

Running back Roger Craig was known for his time with the 49ers, but he spent the 1991 season with the Raiders.

Former Raiders coach Mike Shanahan was nominated in the coaches and contributors category.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.