The Las Vegas Raiders are still trying to figure out how to fix their running game. They are among the worst rushing offenses in the NFL despite having a former top-10 pick running back.
There are many reasons why the Raiders can’t run the ball right now, but a big one is that Ashton Jeanty just isn’t healthy right now. He’s dealing with ankle and foot injuries. He’s averaging just 3.3 yards per carry right now, which is a problem.
According to ESPN, the Raiders have considered giving him a little bit of time off to get his body right, but he wants to keep playing through the pain. If the team decides to sit Jeanty out, they’ll likely need to add another running back.
Former Raiders running back Raheem Mostert volunteered to come play for the Silver and Black again.
“I’m available,” Mostert said on “Just Football” when the topic of Jeanty taking time off came up. “I’m available for a week. He needs to rest because he’s gonna be a catalyst for this offense.”
Mostert was with the Raiders last season, so he has played with Jeanty before. He also played in Kyle Shanahan’s offense for years, which is similar to the type of offense Klint Kubiak runs. He could be a good fit for just a game or two.
Looks Like Jeanty Isn’t Getting Shut Down Yet
If the Raiders actually did want to shut Jeanty down for some time, it doesn’t seem like it on the outside. The running back was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice before the Week 6 game against the Buffalo Bills.
If the plan was to sit him, he would not be practicing, so that he could get optimal time off to heal. The Raiders don’t have a bye week until Week 13. It’s going to be a while before Jeanty gets some time off if the team doesn’t make the decision to sit him.
Kubiak Thinks Jeanty Is Getting Healthier
While time off certainly helps an injury, Jeanty can still play and recover. Kubiak actually thinks the running back is getting better.
“I think Ashton is really starting to feel a lot better physically,” Kubiak told reporters. “So, excited about giving him even more reps in practice, more full speed reps.”
Jeanty is certainly showing his toughness this season. He has emerged as a young leader and other players notice when the big names fight through injuries. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has been impressed with Jeanty’s attitude through this process.
“He’s done a great job and has a positive attitude and so I think that all helps everybody at practice,” Cousins said. “When you see someone, one of your star players, practicing hard, having a positive attitude, I think it brings everybody else up too. He’s doing a great job, and he’ll keep doing it.”
Jeanty has yet to miss an NFL game, but he hasn’t been a productive player for the Raiders this season. If he keeps averaging 3.3 yards per carry, the team may want to realistically consider sitting him for a game.
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