Getty Carolina Panthers RB Miles Sanders.
The Las Vegas Raiders decided against making any big moves to replace star running back Josh Jacobs. Zamir White, who had 397 rushing yards in four starts last season, is expected to take the mantle of starting running back.
While White showed promise in relief of Jacobs last season, he only has 121 carries in his NFL career. The Raiders have issues at quarterback and could rely heavily on the run game. If they don’t believe White is up to snuff, Cory Woodroof of USA Today believes that Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders could be on the trade block and he listed the Raiders as a fit.
“The team drafting Jonathon Brooks in this past NFL Draft might put a veteran runner like Sanders on thin ice with the franchise,” Woodroof wrote in a July 13 column. “The team would save more than $6 million with a trade, and it’s very possible a contending team with a need at running back would send a pick Carolina’s way to add Sanders to its backfield. With Brooks and running back Chuba Hubbard on the depth chart, Sanders might be the odd man out and an excellent trade candidate.”
Sanders had a down year with the Panthers but is just two years removed from rushing for 1,269 yards and making the Pro Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles. He could be a low-risk addition for the Raiders, especially if White and Alexander Mattison aren’t overly impressive in training camp.
Do Las Vegas Raiders Need Another RB?
As of right now, the Raiders should be patient at running back. White showed enough last season to at least earn a shot at being the bell cow. However, the run game is going to be very important for this team. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has had a top-two rushing offense in each of the last two seasons.
He wants to the run ball and so does head coach Antonio Pierce. Fortunately, there are many appealing options available beyond Sanders. Four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook is a free agent and so is former NFL rushing leader Kareem Hunt. There are options for the Raiders to explore if they feel like they need to upgrade.
Las Vegas Raiders Projected to Start Season With 4 RBs
Many teams only keep three running backs on the active roster to start the regular season but it’s looking like the Raiders could roll with four. ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez went through and predicted the team’s roster. He has White, Mattison, Ameer Abdullah and Dylan Laube
“White has not entered a season as a true No. 1 back since his final year of college at Georgia in 2021, but with former All-Pro Josh Jacobs gone to the Green Bay Packers in free agency, White will have every opportunity to solidify his role,” Gutierrez wrote in a July 23 column. “If not, Mattison has such experience, while Abdullah is the Raiders’ Swiss Army Knife, and Las Vegas hopes rookie Laube is a poor man’s Christian McCaffrey.”
Laube is likely the biggest wild card. The sixth-round pick out of New Hampshire has shown great ability in the passing game and that could help him earn a significant role as a rookie.