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The injury issues continue for the Las Vegas Raiders as they are losing a key offensive piece for the rest of the season. Running back Sincere McCormick emerged in recent weeks and was averaging 4.7 yards a carry before an injury knocked him out of the Week 14 game against the Atlanta Falcons.
It has now been revealed that the injury he suffered was quite serious. The Raiders announced that he’s heading to Injured Reserve with an ankle injury, which will end his season. This is a major disappointment for McCormick as this was the first time he had a chance to be the lead back.
He was playing well enough to where the Raiders may have considered giving him a chance to compete for the starting running back job next season. His injury will only complicate things going forward. The Raiders can’t afford to rely on him to be the starter next season so they will need to address the position in the offseason.
The team could still give McCormick the chance to be back on the roster next offseason but that will also depend on how long it will take him to recover.
Raiders Sign Isaiah Spiller
McCormick is out for the season and he joins Zamir White on the Injured Reserve, who was the Raiders’ Week 1 starter at running back. The team also announced that they’re promoting Chris Collier from the practice squad to the active roster but they also added a notable name.
When general manager Tom Telesco was still with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022, he drafted Isaiah Spiller in the fourth-round. Things didn’t work out in Los Angeles so he was a free agent. The Raiders decided to sign him to the practice squad.
Telesco should have a very good idea of what Spiller can do so he could be a player to watch these last three games. A fourth-round pick is relatively high for a running back so he does have talent. He rushed for nearly 3,000 yards in college and while he’s on the practice squad, he could see some action to close out the season.
Raiders Running Game Continues to Struggle
McCormick’s emergence for the Raiders was a big deal because he was the first player to breath some life into the running game for the offense this season. However, even with his strong play, Las Vegas still had trouble moving the ball on the ground.
The Raiders are only averaging 78.1 rushing yards per game, which is the worst in the NFL. In fact, it’s over 10 fewer yards per game than the second-worst team. Now that McCormick is done for the year, things are likely to only get worse.
Alexander Mattison can make the occasional big play but he is very inconsistent. Ameer Abdullah is a good player but he’s more of a receiver out of the backfield. There will be a golden opportunity for Collier and possibly Spiller. The Raiders are dealing with injuries at quarterback and would love to establish a better run game. Collier and/or Spiller could earn a roster heading into next year if they show some flashes.
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Raiders GM Tom Telesco Signs RB He Drafted While With Chargers