The Las Vegas Raiders had a massive scare toward the end of training camp when Ashton Jeanty had to be helped off the field with an ankle injury. Many assumed the worst and thought that his season could be over.
Luckily, it sounds like he only suffered an ankle sprain. The fact that the Raiders didn’t start him on the Injured Reserve is a very good sign. It means that they at least don’t think he’ll miss four games.
There was another positive development, as Jeanty was seen working with trainers at practice. It’s still a big question mark whether or not he’ll be able to play against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1. The Raiders don’t have to report his exact injury yet, so it’s difficult to know the severity of his ankle sprain. Ankle injuries can sometimes lead to Achilles injuries if they aren’t fully recovered.
The Raiders don’t sound too concerned. In fact, general manager John Spytek seemed very optimistic about Jeanty’s status in his first press conference since the injury scare.
“I expect him to be back as quick he can, maybe quicker than some people would expect. When that is, we’ll see,” Spytek told reporters.
Raiders Only Kept 3 RBs on the Roster
Another good sign that Jeanty won’t miss much time is the fact that the Raiders only kept three running backs on the active roster. Mike Washington Jr. is a rookie, and Dylan Laube has eight career attempts.
Dare Ogunbowale and Roman Hemby are on the practice squad, so they provide some security, but it’s unlikely the Raiders will keep a fourth running back on the active roster if they don’t think Jeanty has a chance to play in Week 1. The Athletic’s Sam Warren gave some thoughts on the Raiders’ running back room.
“Keeping just three backs on the roster given Jeanty’s injury is a bit perplexing,” Warren wrote. “The team had a veteran in Ogunbowale who looked solid in the preseason, but let him go. If Jeanty can’t play Week 1, the Raiders would have just Washington, a fourth-round rookie, and Laube, who has nine career rushing yards over two seasons. That makes the position seem like one Las Vegas will be looking for on waivers.”
Can Jeanty Still Have a Breakout Season?
Even if Jeanty plays, it’s unclear what his workload would be. The Raiders were planning on using him heavily this season, but that plan has to change. Washington has looked excellent in preseason, so he’ll likely get more carries than previously expected.
That doesn’t mean Jeanty can’t still have a huge year. The Raiders are going to run the ball a lot, especially with the wide receiver room being questionable. Jeanty and Washington will get plenty of opportunities each.
From Jeanty’s perspective, he’s likely very eager to get back on the field ASAP. He wants to be a bell cow, but him being hurt gives Washington a chance to prove he deserves carries. There should be plenty of motivation for him to rehab his injury quickly.
Raiders GM John Spytek Drops Revealing Ashton Jeanty Update