The Las Vegas Raiders can breathe a sigh of relief about running back Ashton Jeanty.
His status for this weekend’s season opener was in doubt after he went down with a non-contact injury in practice, but the team announced on Friday that he has cleared and will be taking the field on Sunday.
The Raiders published their final injury report, showing that tight end Brock Bowers was ruled out and Jeanty was taken off the injury report.
Ashton Jeanty Hinted at Return
Jeanty was trending upward during the week, returning to practice in full on Wednesday. Jeanty said the ankle injury was scary at first, but he could tell quickly it wasn’t too serious.
“Nerve-wracking first going down, but when I popped up I had a sigh of relief,” Jeanty said, via the team’s official website. “I knew it wasn’t anything too bad.”
Due to the non-contact nature of the injury, there were some immediate fears that he may have suffered a season-ending ailment like a torn Achilles. The Raiders running back said he was relieved this wasn’t the case.
“Anytime you have an injury, you think about how much worse it could’ve been,” he said. “It just gives you perspective. But, of course, just glad it’s something light.”
The team also hinted earlier this week that Jeanty was ready to play against the Dolphins.
“We’re happy to have Ashton back on the field, get him ready to go,” offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko said. “He comes out with that big smile on his face, the energy he brings to this offense and to this organization is undeniable. So, just happy to have him back out working.”
Ashton Jeanty Ready to Hit the Field
Jeanty said earlier this week that he was excited to take the field for some real competition.
“It’s been offense versus defense, that gets old,” Jeanty said. “You want to strap it up and really go against somebody. That’s what you practice for, that’s what you play this game for, to go dominate somebody else.”
Jeanty showed promise in his rookie season despite Las Vegas struggling on offense. He took 266 carries for 975 yards with five touchdowns, adding 55 receptions for 346 yards with five receiving touchdowns.
While Jeanty is expected to handle a similar workload, The Athletic’s Sam Warren believes rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. is headed for a significant role as well.
“An outstanding preseason has caused the rhetoric around his role to shift,” Warren wrote. “Washington clearly will provide value as a complement to Jeanty as a runner, and his big-play ability is something this offense needs. Jeanty’s injury could give Washington a bigger role early on, and how he receives and pass protects will determine his snap share when the lead back is fully healthy.”
Raiders Announce Final Decision on Ashton Jeanty Amid Injury