The Raiders seem to have more position battles playing out in training camp than previous years, and one of the interesting depth chart battles right now is at running back.
Going into camp, some had Raheem Mostert penciled in as Ashton Jeanty’s primary backup and there was also some buzz around Sincere McCormick.
The running back no one seemed to be talking about was Zamir White and there were even trade rumors around the fourth-year running back in February.
But according to Raiders Nation Radio host Q Myers, White has turned a few heads in the offseason and he is currently no. 2 on the depth chart behind Ashton Jeanty.
“Obviously, Ashton Jeanty is RB1,” Myers said on the Locked on Raiders podcast. “I was thinking the competition was going to be Zamir or Sincere. Well, Zamir White is number two. He’s number two. This team really likes Zamir White. He’s already listed as number two on the depth chart. He’s a guy that Pete Carroll called the hammer. He’s a guy that has slimmed down. He’s not as ‘muscley’ as he was last year, where he got way too big.”
“He was slow [last year]. He wasn’t hitting the holes. He has come full circle and looks really good,” Myers continued on White.
“He looks like the guy that a lot of us expected him to be last year. And for one reason or the other, matter of fact, multiple reasons, he wasn’t able to do that. Now I’m looking at the running back competition saying, yeah, there’s still competition in that room, but it’s between Sincere McCormick, Raheem Mostert, and then Dylan Laube. Dylan Lobby, I don’t think is going to be a guy that’s going to contribute as a running back. So I don’t put him there, but he’s the guy who could be a special teams specialist.”
Last year, White wasn’t a great fit in Luke Getsy’s running scheme, but he said after last week’s scrimmage that he loves Chip Kelly’s new downhill running scheme (video below).
The regular season is still a month away, but it seems like the coaching staff in Las Vegas has a role for White in 2025 and there’s no question he brings a different skill set to the team than the other running backs on the roster.
Mostert brings experience and reliability to the Raiders’ running back room and McCormick is a player they could potentially slide to the practice squad if he doesn’t make the final roster.
As for Laube, he was another forgotten player going into training camp, and it sounds like he might be carving out a role for himself, as well.
x: @raidersbeat
It will be awesome to see Zamir come back with the power he showed at the end of the ’23 season. I have confidence in Coach Kelly’s scheme, but I am worried about the Oline. Is there enough depth to make it through the entire season? I’m hoping so.