The Las Vegas Raiders don’t have a good track record of making first-round picks in recent years, outside of tight end Brock Bowers. When the team drafted Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 pick last year, it was a bit of an eyebrow raiser, as running backs typically don’t get drafted that high.
The hope was that Jeanty was such a good prospect that he’d end up being worth the pick. So far, that hasn’t been the case. He’s averaging 3.5 yards per carry across two seasons, and is seeing his role diminish.
After getting just two carries against the New York Jets in Week 8, speculation has stirred that the Raiders could trade the running back. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell floated the idea that the Green Bay Packers could trade for Jeanty.
“Leaning into the idea of trading for young players on rookie deals, would the Packers consider trading for … Ashton Jeanty? They’ve gone after Raiders players quite often over the past few offseasons, and Jeanty would be an opportunity to acquire a running back who had excellent pedigree coming out of college at a relatively low cost,” Barnwell wrote. “Jeanty has struggled so far as a pro, but his pass-catching ability gives him a solid floor, and he would find it easier to access his explosiveness in a better offense. Jeanty could be part of a rotation alongside Josh Jacobs before taking over once the Packers decide to move on from their current starter.”
Why Would Raiders Trade Jeanty?
At this point, if the Raiders could go back, they likely wouldn’t draft Jeanty with the No. 6 pick. It’s not even entirely his fault. It’s clear the team wasn’t in a position to use a valuable pick on a running back before fixing the offensive line.
The talk of trading him already seems premature. He hasn’t even played two full seasons, and the offensive line play has been really bad. Mike Washington Jr. got the chance to take the majority of carries against the Jets, and he only averaged 3.3 yards per carry.
The only way the Raiders should really consider trading Jeanty is if they’re able to recoup a first-round pick. There’s still enough potential there to warrant keeping him, and he’s widely considered a leader and a good teammate.
Klint Kubiak Says Jeanty Has Bright Future
This year, Jeremiyah Love was considered an even better running back prospect than Jeanty and was the No. 3 pick. He’s currently averaging 3.5 yards per carry.
What that shows is that playing behind a bad offensive line makes it very difficult for a young running back to have success. That’s why the Raiders can’t give up on Jeanty quite yet.
Head coach Klint Kubiak is still high on Jeanty and doesn’t sound like he’s ready to consider moving on.
“Ashton’s a young player and has a really bright future ahead,” Kubiak told reporters Wednesday. “Glad we have him and all these young players on our roster that are continuing to grow. And it’s our job as coaches to develop them.”
Possible Trade landing Spot for Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty Emerges