The Raiders were borderline incompetent at running the ball in 2024, but the additions of first-round pick Ashton Jeanty and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly should set the stage for real improvement in 2025.
It’s no secret that Kelly and head coach Pete Carroll want to lean on the running game in their first year together and Raiders color commentator Lincoln Kennedy talked about some of the schematic adjustments he witnessed at OTAs in recent days.
“What I’ve ascertained over the last couple of practices… is that there is a high regard to using a zone blocking scheme when it comes to the perimeter, but the interior they want to use man blocking schemes,” Kennedy said on Upon Further Review.
“I’m totally fine with being able to have that versatility so teams can’t pin down one type of scheme to try to defend against.”
Jeanty is seen as a good for multiple running schemes and he will be leaned on a lot in his rookie year.
Nevertheless, Carroll vowed this week that there will be a running back by committee approach in Las Vegas this year.
“I love having multiple guys play. I’m not relying on one guy,” Carroll said about the Raiders running back room. “Whatever it takes to get it done. We’re going to let the guys play for their playtime. Raheem, I love having him. He’s an experienced guy, he’s been a great speedster for years. We’ve defended him for years and he’s been a nightmare for us.”
Raheem Mostert is expected to get some of the leftover carries from Jeanty, but at 33 years of age, it will be interesting to see how explosive Mostert is in his 11th NFL season.
But there’s apparently another running back to keep an eye on when the pads come on in August.
Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter was asked this week who he thought looked like the Raiders’ offensive MVP in OTAs and brought up another running back that impressed in OTAs.
“I was asked the other day on a national show, and somebody said ‘Who do you think was the offensive MVP… for the Raiders this offseason?’” Carpenter said on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast.
“On offense, to me, Geno [Smith] is amazing, but I think you had to say Sincere [McCormick],” Carpenter continued. “No pads, but I’ve never seen Sincere McCormick run the way he ran. If you go back and watch last year’s podcasts before training camp and after training camp, I said that I believed in him, but he had to do more. I saw it in OTA minicamp. Running mad at the world.”
x: @raidersbeat
McCormick ran very well in the last game he played in before his injury last fall.. He and Ameer Abdullah looked way better in their best game than White or the other guy looked at any time last season..
You take a RB at #6, he needs to be a workhorse. Obviously, every back needs to split some carries, but a true “by committee” approach would not be ideal considering the resources spent to get Jeanty on the roster.