Green Bay Packers fans felt mixed emotions a little over a year ago when the team signed Josh Jacobs but released Aaron Jones on the same day.
Jacobs spent a season vindicating the Packers' decision, rushing for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns to earn Pro Bowl honors. He set a new career-high in rushing touchdowns and posted his second-best rushing-yard tally. The former All-Pro carried the Packers' offense, especially while Jordan Love missed time due to injury.
Beyond his production, Jacobs became a leader in the locker room and fully embraced life in Green Bay.
Fast forward a year, and the Packers' decision to sign Jacobs is still making a positive impact. This time, it could come at the expense of the Chicago Bears.
Raiders could fill the Josh Jacobs void by stealing Ashton Jeanty from Bears
The Las Vegas Raiders have yet to find a replacement for Jacobs in their offense. Alexander Mattison led the team in rushing last season, but he is now gone. Las Vegas signed Raheem Mostert in free agency, but the 33-year-old won't take a featured role.
Enter Ashton Jeanty, a star running back from Boise State who should hear his name called early in this month's draft.
According to ESPN's Matt Miller, the Bears "love" Jeanty and could select him at No. 10 overall if he falls that far.
It would be a dream move for Chicago and a potential nightmare for Green Bay. Drafting running backs that early is rarely a smart move, but Jeanty has All-Pro potential and is an exception to the rule. The Bears have rebuilt their offensive line to support Caleb Williams, and giving new head coach Ben Johnson a game-changing running back to pair with D'Andre Swift would give the Packers plenty of problems.
Thankfully, the Packers stealing Jacobs from the Raiders leaves his former team in need of a running back. All signs point toward Jeanty landing in Las Vegas with the No. 6 overall pick.Several draft insiders, including ESPN's Mel Kiper, have connected Jeanty to the Raiders in the first round. That works for us.
The Raiders traded for quarterback Geno Smith and have a rising star at tight end in Brock Bowers. Unless Travis Hunter surprisingly falls to them, no receivers would likely make sense at No. 6, so Las Vegas could bolster its offense by finally adding a running back capable of replacing Jacobs' production.
They wouldn't need to make such a bold move had, well, they re-signed Jacobs in the first place.
Signing Jacobs proved to be a home-run move. He took the Packers' offense to another level and allowed them to take a run-first approach rarely seen in Green Bay, proving he is still one of the league's elite running backs.
His arrival is still helping the Packers, and the impact of the switch from Las Vegas to Green Bay may ultimately screw over Chicago in the draft. It's perfect.
