Is RB a Big Priority for Raiders this Offseason?

The Las Vegas Raiders could take a hard look at adding a running back in the offseason.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White (3) and his teammates celebrate White’s touchdown over the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1st quarter at Paycor Stadium Sunday, November 3, 2024. / Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders will not be playing postseason football this season, so many fans are looking ahead to the offseason. 

General Manager Tom Telesco and Coach Antonio Pierce have much work to do to turn this Raiders team into a contender. Right now, they are far from that. 

One area the Raiders will examine is the offense. For several reasons, the Raiders have been unable to sustain drives this season. They rank 26th in the league in scoring offense and 24th in total offense. 

One reason the team has been unable to put the ball in the end zone is a lack of run game. The Silver and Black rank dead last in the league in rushing offense with just 78.1 yards per game.

The Raiders have Zamir White and Dylan Laube under contract past 2025, but Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah are set to hit free agency. Las Vegas must re-sign or replace the two veteran backs. 

Moreover, White has not produced the results the team had hoped for when he took over as the starter this season. Do the Raiders feel comfortable going into the 2025 season with White as the lead back again? 

It is not a spectacular crop of running backs in the free agent class, but there are a few names who could be upgrades from the Raiders’ current situation. Those include Aaron Jones of the Minnesota Vikings, Javonte Williams of the Denver Broncos, and J.K. Dobbins of the Los Angeles Chargers. 

If the Raiders do not want to spend money on an older running back, they could look for one in the 2025 NFL Draft. There are plenty of talented backs the team could look at in the later rounds, including Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson and Ohio State stars TreyVeon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. 

Of course, how the Raiders approach the running back position in the offseason depends on who they hire as offensive coordinator. If they hire someone who prioritizes passing, they could be comfortable waiting until the third day of the draft to select a back or signing a value player to a cheap contract. 

The run game absolutely must improve in 2025 if the Raiders want to contend. Expect the team to take a hard look at how to make that happen.

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