Following Josh Jacobs’s rookie season in 2019, he set about trying to up his game. The one aspect of his game he wanted to add was as a receiver out of the backfield. He even set the lofty goal of 60 catches. Though his receptions totals improved last season (33) from his rookie year (20), he fell well short of his goal.
This season Jacobs has abandoned his receptions goals.
“Not really from a stats standpoint,” Jacobs said of his goals. “More of just putting my stamp on this offense, becoming a leader in this offense and for this team. That’s really where my head’s been at.”
Upping his game as a receiver was what the coaches wanted from him last season. What changed? Well, they added Kenyan Drake, first and foremost.
“I feel like Kenyan is a change-of-pace type of back. He has that what I call X-factor type of explosiveness,” Jacobs said of Drake. ”
Just to see him come in and give what he has to the team, to see him line up in the wide receiver spot in the slot, it’s definitely going to be huge for our team.”
Ironically, Jacobs had more receptions last season than Drake. But that was not what you usually expect from him. The two previous seasons, he had over 50 catches each season. And that’s what Gruden wants from him now. Let Jacobs focus on running the ball while Drake brings the receiving abilities.
