The Raiders’ largest need on offense, aside from quarterback, of course, is running back.
Their inability to mount an effective run game last year ended any hopes of them being competitive. Fixing a rushing attack that finished last in the NFL in yards (1,357) is of utmost importance.
The Raiders should have enough options in free agency and the draft to make necessary changes this offseason. Here’s how things stand for them at running back right now:
Under contract
Zamir White, Dylan Laube
Pending free agents
Alexander Mattison (unrestricted), Ameer Abdullah (unrestricted), Isaiah Spiller (restricted), Chris Collier (exclusive rights), Sincere McCormick (exclusive rights)
2024 recap
The Raiders running game was an abject failure last season.
The team moved on from running back Josh Jacobs — who went on to have a 1,329-yard season with the Packers — because it believed Zamir White was ready to take off. He wasn’t. White averaged 2.8 yards per carry on his 65 rushing attempts and missed the Raiders’ final seven games with a quadriceps injury.
Backup Alexander Mattison wasn’t much better. He averaged 3.2 yards per carry on his 132 attempts.
Some of the blame for the Raiders’ struggles to run the ball falls on the offensive line. But the team also believed White missed too many rushing lanes.
That belief was validated somewhat by the performance of practice squad callup Sincere McCormick, who averaged 4.7 yards per carry on his 39 attempts before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
Even Ameer Abdullah, a 10-year veteran, gained 4.7 yards per carry on his 66 attempts.
The fact he and McCormick found daylight behind the Raiders’ offensive line shows White and Mattison were a huge part of the problem last year.
Level of need: High
The Raiders, in addition to their league-worst rushing total, averaged an NFL-worst 3.6 yards per carry last season.
That needs to change.
New coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek have shown in the past they understand the importance of a functional ground game. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has also built his previous offenses around a punishing rushing attack.
Expect the Raiders to be active in retooling their running back room under their new braintrust.
White is a candidate to be released. Laube, a 2024 sixth-round pick, spent most of his rookie season in the doghouse after fumbling on his first NFL carry. He could benefit from a fresh start under a new regime.
How can they address things?
The good news for the Raiders is April’s draft appears set to feature one of the deepest running back classes of the past decade.
They should be able to get a player that can contribute as late as the fourth round.
The consensus top running back in the class is Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, who finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting last season. He ran for 2,601 yards on 374 carries to lead the Broncos to the College Football Playoff. He’s also shown throughout his career he’s a threat in the passing game as well.
Jeanty, who is expected to be a first-round pick, would likely be considered a reach if the Raiders selected him sixth overall. But that same thought process didn’t prevent the team from taking tight end Brock Bowers at No. 13 last year, a selection it is more than happy with.
There are also plenty of options behind Jeanty. Two of them, TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, played for Kelly at Ohio State. Other standouts include Omarion Hampton (North Carolina), Kaleb Johnson (Iowa), Dylan Sampson (Tennessee), Cam Skattebo (Arizona State), Devin Neal (Kansas) and Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech).
If the Raiders also want to add a veteran in free agency, potential targets include Aaron Jones and Najee Harris.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at [email protected]. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
