Though the NFL Draft just recently wrapped up, teams continue to work on their rosters. The Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the biggest surprises from last season.
After going 4-13 in 2024, the team went 13-4 last season and nearly beat the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round. A big reason for their success was the running game, but they lost Travis Etienne to the New Orleans Saints in free agency. He rushed for 1,107 yards last season, so he won’t be easy to replace.
The Jaguars didn’t make a flashy free agent signing or use a high draft pick on a running back. It’ll likely be an open competition for running back snaps this season.
Amid running back questions, Jacksonville decided to bring another veteran into the room. The team announced that they’ve signed former Las Vegas Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah.
This is the veteran’s sixth NFL team. He spent last season with the Indianapolis Colts, but only carried the ball 14 times. Before that, he had a three-year stint with the Raiders, where he proved to be an impact player in the passing game, catching a combined 103 catches. Abdullah will be turning 33 before the season, so there’s not much upside there, but he can still make plays in the passing game.
Ashton Jeanty Big Winner From Raiders’ Offseason
With the Raiders drafting Ashton Jeanty at No. 6 last year, they didn’t have a need for Abdullah anymore, which is why they let him walk. Jeanty is the future of the position for the team, and they’ve done a lot to set him up for success.
Not only did they hire a head coach who loves to run the ball, but they also spent big on Tyler Linderbaum, who is arguably the best run-blocking center in the NFL. The Athletic’s Sam Warren named Jeanty one of the Raiders’ biggest winners from the offseason.
“Jeanty was already a big beneficiary of the Raiders’ early-offseason moves,” Warren wrote. “Bringing in Klint Kubiak as head coach puts Jeanty in a run-heavy scheme more capable of creating open space. Jeanty was constantly hit in the backfield last season, getting few opportunities to flash his explosiveness. Center Tyler Linderbaum’s arrival gives the Raiders’ offensive line an anchor.
“Jeanty was further aided by the draft, as Las Vegas gave him a potential running mate in Mike Washington Jr. Jeanty accounted for 266 carries last season, while the Raiders’ other backs combined for just 41. Washington should be able to shoulder some of that workload and allow Jeanty to expend more energy with his opportunities.”
Will Washington Take Snaps From Jeanty?
Jeanty’s rookie season was a disappointment, but he got plenty of chances to make plays. He was seventh in the NFL with 266 rushing attempts in 2025.
The Raiders used a fourth-round pick on running back Mike Washington Jr., which was an interesting pick. He projects to be a solid NFL player, so there’s a chance he’s going to take snaps from Jeanty. While Jeanty is used to seeing a vast majority of the carries, it could be good for him to get a running mate. Running backs who carry the ball a ton early in their careers don’t typically stay dominant for long.
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