As a whole, the Las Vegas Raiders' roster has been subpar for most of the past two seasons. Specifically, the Raiders have struggled mightily on the offensive side of the ball for various reasons, some bigger than others.
The Raiders' emphasis on the offensive side of the ball this offseason is proof of how poor the unit has been lately. The emphasis also shows the new Raiders' front office knows that many of the issues the Raiders' offense has faced over the past few seasons all feed into each other.
One of the first moves John Spytek made after becoming the team's general manager was to trade for quarterback Geno Smith and add veteran offensive lineman Alex Cappa, confirming quarterback and offensive line as the team's biggest downfall from the past two seasons.
Las Vegas also added multiple offensive linemen and skill position players in the NFL Draft, including running back Ashton Jeanty, wide receivers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr. The addition of Jeanty, Bech and Thornton confirm their lack of playmakers on offense has held them back recently.
Jeanty's addition addressed the Raiders' poor gound game, but their issues running the ball were bigger than Zamir White, Alex Mattison or any other back they tried last season. Their ground game was an issue long before White became the starter.
White began his career behind another talented running back, Josh Jacobs, who played in 13 of the Raiders' 17 games his final season in Las Vegas before missing the final four games with injury. The Raiders finished that season with the third-fewest rushing yards of any team in the league.
Still, White stepped in for the final four games in Jacobs' absence and ran for over 100 yards twice in his first four starts, becoming the first of a long list of great Raiders running backs to do so.
More impressively, one of those two games was on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs in a game the Raiders did not complete a pass after the first quarter. A running back running for nearly 150 yards without his quarterback completing a pass for three quarters is a remarkable feat.
The Raiders would go on to beat the Chiefs on Christmas Day in 2023. Las Vegas is still the last team to beat the Chiefs in Kansas City, a game largely placed on White's broad shoulders.
There is no denying that things did not go White's way last season. While White has room for improvement like every player, it must also be noted that the offense he had around him was not a good one. The new Raiders' front office's moves this offseason proves the agree.
Las Vegas wisely added Jeanty, as he was the best player available at a position the Raiders needed additional help at. However, running back has arguably the shortest shelf-life of any position in football and Jeanty is sure to get a lot of touches early in his career.
The Raiders would be wise to not put too much wear and tear on Jeanty. White is now back in a reserve role like he was when Jacobs was in Las Vegas. Although Jeanty will likely get most of the carries, White provides a quality back up option when Jeanty needs a breather.
This is especially true now that the Raiders have an improved offensive line, quarterback and wide receivers around him.
White has unfairly taken the blame for the Raiders' rushing woes last season, even though many of those same issues were there with Jacobs leading the way his final season in Las Vegas. The Raiders' struggles to run the ball ran much deeper than White. Hence the Raiders' offseason moves.
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