Getty Houston Texans RB Cam Akers.
The Las Vegas Raiders are going to give Zamir White a real chance to earn the starting running back job in training camp. He played well in relief of an injured Josh Jacobs last season having rushed for 397 yards in four starts.
However, the Raiders appear to have some interest in adding to the running back room. According to a July 25 X post from KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, the team was planning to meet with Cam Akers prior to the running back signing with the Houston Texans.
Akers is a former second-round pick who won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021. He hasn’t been able to live up to his draft status but he has rushed for over 600 yards in a season twice in his career. Regardless, he’s off to the Texans now but it is notable that the Raiders would consider bringing him in.
Akers likely wouldn’t have realistically competed for the starting running back job but he may have put Alexander Mattison on notice. For now, the Raiders running back is changing.
Could Las Vegas Raiders Target Other RBs?
Though the Raiders couldn’t get Akers for a workout, there are plenty of other running backs in the free agent market. The most notable name is Dalvin Cook. He’s a four-time Pro Bowler who is still just 28. However, he’s coming off a rough year with the New York Jets where he only had 214 rushing yards in 15 games.
If the Raiders would prefer to go after a smaller name, Matt Breida could make sense. He averages 4.6 yards per carry in his career, which is a solid number for a running back. He most recently played for the New York Giants.
A reunion with Latavius Murray could also be an option. Though he’s 34, he played 16 games for the Buffalo Bills last season. His lone Pro Bowl season came with the Raiders in 2016. He wouldn’t be a starter but could provide some good depth.
Zamir White Named as Breakout Candidate
There’s no reason for the Raiders to sour on White yet. He’s been working hard this offseason and is ready for the challenge of being a featured running back. Aaron Schatz of ESPN recently named him as one of the top breakout candidates of the 2024 season.
“So far, White’s NFL performance hasn’t matched what we saw in college, but the sample size is still small,” Schatz wrote in a July 24 column. “He started the last four games of the 2023 season and totaled 451 yards on 104 carries with a single touchdown.
“He had an mid-tier VOA (value over average) but takes a big hit in DVOA and DYAR for opponent adjustments because he faced a lot of easy run defenses. Those four starts all came against teams ranked 21st or lower in run defense DVOA.”
White was excellent at Georgia where he averaged 5.3 yards per carry. The biggest concern with him coming out of college was injuries. He’s suffered two torn ACLs in his career. However, he has been fully healthy through two years in the NFL. If his body can withstand the workload that comes with being a No. 1 running back, he could be in for a breakout season.