The Las Vegas Raiders will come into the season with one of the league’s most promising offensive skilled groups. However, Pro Football Focus threw the Raiders some serious shade at their backfield after losing Josh Jacobs in free agency to the Green Bay Packers.
The Las Vegas Raiders will rely on their passing offense in 2024
Come training camp, the Raiders will have one of the most intriguing quarterback battles in the league. Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell will have plenty of exciting targets to throw to. Wide receivers Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers will help spread the field for their young tight ends, Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers.
While the passing game will be new and exciting in Antonio Pierce’s first season as the full-time head coach, the backfield has plenty to prove during the preseason. Uncertainty at running back is to be expected for the Raiders after losing their former first-round pick, Jacobs.
Jacobs accounted for 5,545 yards and 46 touchdowns on the ground for the Raiders since 2019. Jacobs was the Raiders’ offense for most of his time with Oakland and Las Vegas.
Who will replace Josh Jacobs?
Per Nick Shook with the NFL’s website, the Raiders are expected to have a running back by committee this season. Zamir White and Alexander Mattison will lead the way:
Life after Josh Jacobs means the Raiders will turn to two running backs to lead the way in 2024.
First in line is third-year runner Zamir White, a 2022 fourth-round pick out of Georgia who spent his first two seasons behind Jacobs, a period in which the Raiders took White’s workload from minimal to legitimate spell back in a year’s time. Now, White — who will form a 1-2 punch with Alexander Mattison — feels more than ready to take over as the lead runner in Las Vegas’ backfield, quickly responding with a “hell yes” when asked if he was prepared for the role.
PFF gives the Raiders a disrespectful ranking
Analysts aren’t convinced White and Mattison can do the job this season. PFF ranked the Raiders as having the 31st-ranked running back unit out of 32 teams:
It felt like the Raiders were left high and dry after watching Josh Jacobs sign elsewhere. Their backfield state is now some combination of Zamir White, Alexander Mattison and rookie Dylan Laube.
White earned a 70.6 PFF rushing grade last season, while Mattison recorded a 68.4 figure.
White didn’t have an important role with the team during his rookie season. But he finished the 2023 season with 451 yards on 104 carries (4.3 yards per rush) and one touchdown. White actually had a better yards-per-rush average last season, as Jacobs averaged just 3.5 yards per rush in a down season for the former Alabama running back.
The 31st ranking feels disrespectful to White. If the Raiders passing game can play at a high level this season, it should open up the running game for White and Mattison.
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