Antonio Pierce is no longer the head coach of the Raiders but his philosophy, at least in one regard, is expected to live on under new head coach Pete Carroll.
JT the Brick is one of the better-connected media personalities around the Raiders building and he says there in an expectation that the Raiders are going to recommit to the running game under Carroll.
“One Raider legend told me ‘Get ready, they’re going to run the ball a lot,'” JT said on his Raider Nation Radio Show last week. “Pete [Carroll] wants to run it. Chip [Kelly] wants to run it. They’re joined together. They really get along.”
On one hand, the Raiders don’t appear to have a starting quarterback in place, so it makes sense that they would want to have an effective running game. But everyone knows Carroll loves to run the ball and an emphasis on the running game makes sense in Las Vegas for a lot of reasons.
The question that remains is whether or not an effective running game is enough to carry a team in the modern NFL. Even the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles, who were the top two running teams in the NFL, needed elite play from their quarterbacks to keep the ball moving this year.
Assuming the Raiders do plan to emphasize the running game in 2025, at least one team insider believes Carroll and company are strong candidates to take a running back in the first round.
“I think they’re going to go Jeanty, the running back at Boise. Now granted, Spytek is in here, so that’s a new look. But I can tell you this, prior to the change, the Raiders were scouting him heavily,” Sports Illustrated insider Carpenter said earlier this month on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast. “I don’t know that Tampa was scouting him as heavily, but I know Tampa was… and I think right now, if I had to pick today, I think they take Jeanty if they keep [pick] six.”
Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see how much emphasis new minority owner Tom Brady decides to place on the running back position.
Historically, the Patriots didn’t tend to take running backs early in the draft, but Brady always did like versatile runners he could use in the passing game.
Jeanty definitely fits the description as one of the most versatile runners to enter the draft in years.
x: @raidersbeat
So Jeanty at #6, works for me.
That NC running back will be just as good. I’d rather roll the dice on Dart at 6 than take a running back and sign Tre Smith in free agency.
Dart at #6 would be worse than using a 1st round pick on Leatherwood?! SMH…
Picking a RB with the #6 pick would be unwise. We can trade the pick and get the RB later in the round. Way too early for any RB, at #6.
Jeanty at 6 a must! Best player available. A position that we need to fill since Telesco let jacobs walk. Milroe or Howard in the 2nd round. Bring back Marcus Marriott for a 2 year bridge qb. Lot of tread left on his tires.
Build up the weak OL, otherwise no RB will be affective.