The Las Vegas Raiders lost one of their key offensive players, running back Josh Jacobs signing with the Green Bay Packers. Zamir White is likely to become the starting running back, but he hasn’t proven himself enough to be certain of the position.
The Raiders have added some competition. Alexander Mattison is joining the team, according to a March 18 X post from Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.
Mattison was initially drafted by the Minnesota Vikings and had a chance to start in 2023 after Dalvin Cookleft. He played in 13 games and ran for 700 yards with an average of 3.9 yards per carry.
Mattison didn’t fully seize the opportunity, which may be why the Vikings didn’t re-sign him. White is expected to start for the Raiders next season unless the team adds more options. Mattison should be a reliable second running back and bring experience to the position group.
Josh Jacobs Discusses Joining Green Bay Packers
The Raiders will have to make a big adjustment without Josh Jacobs. They have had one of the top running backs in the NFL for the last five years. Now they will rely on a player with only four career starts.
Jacobs used to be one of the younger players on the Raiders offense, but that’s changing in Green Bay. At 26, he is the oldest skill position player on offense for the Packers.
“It’s strange because I’m thinking, hey, I’m not that old,” Jacobs said, according to a March 18 column from ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “But I think it's cool because last year a lot of those young guys at the start of the season were still trying to figure things out. That’s what it looked like from the outside, at least.
“You know when things start to click because for most young guys, it’s all about experience. After a full year of experience and coming in this year, I'm excited to see many of them take a step forward. I just hope to contribute to that and help in any way I can.”
Jacobs will quickly take on a leadership role, which should be familiar to him as he was a team captain with the Raiders.
Brandon Parker Signs With San Francisco 49ers
After six years in Las Vegas, offensive tackle Brandon Parker is moving on. According to a March 18 X post from Matt Barrows of The Athletic, Parker is signing with the San Francisco 49ers.
Parker was a third-round pick of the Raiders in 2018 and it was hoped that he’d become the long-term starting right tackle. He started in 33 games over six seasons but couldn’t hold onto the position. Last season, he only played in five games. He will likely compete for a swing tackle spot on the 49ers as he hasn’t proven himself enough to expect a starting role.
Maybe a change of scenery is what he needed to become a reliable offensive tackle.
