That's why I mentioned the Sandman. Dream only needed replacing because, ultimately, he got tired of his responsibilities and wanted to die. Otherwise he could have lived forever. But to die he had to arrange for something that could, within the rules, kill him (in that case, the Furies and/or his sister but only under the right circumstances).
I think there's a decent chance that Jacob may be doing the same thing. He implied, if not outight told, to Richard that he was tired of the game.
