The CBA giveth, and the CBA potentially taketh away.
Under the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Raiders used the franchise tag to keep running back Josh Jacobs in place for at least another season, at $10.1 million. The Raiders also could, under those same rules, rescind the franchise tag.
Would they? If Jacobs won’t accept their best offer on a long-term deal (the deadline for finalizing a multi-year contract is July 17), it would make sense to consider their options. And they could, in theory, pursue Dalvin Cook as a potential replacement for Jacobs.
There’s a tangible link between the Raiders and Cook. Raiders running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu worked in that same position for the Vikings from 2017 — Cook’s rookie year — through 2021. That’s five years of experience, between position coach and player. It gives the Raiders a level of information and intelligence about Cook that most other teams don’t have.
It would still be tricky to pull it off. First, the Raiders would have to move discreetly; if Jacobs were to catch wind of the potential signing of Cook, Jacobs could accept the tender, making the $10.1 million fully guaranteed.