Raiders Could Approach Their Ground Game in Many Ways

The Las Vegas Raiders tried the running back-by-committee approach last season. They could do so again this season, but better.

Sep 8, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) breaks away from Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo (5) and runs for a touchdown in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Like many other teams in the National Football League, the Las Vegas Raiders spent the past couple of seasons undervaluing the running back position and it has cost them dearly. The Raiders averaged the fewest rushing yards per game of any team this past season.

Two seasons ago, the Raiders finished the season with the third-fewest rushing yards of any team in the league, and did so with Josh Jacobs running the ball for most of the season. The Raiders have tried using one primary back and spreading the rushing duties around, nothing has worked.

There are plenty of reasons other than which running back was running the ball that explains the Raiders' struggles to run the ball. However, since the Raiders have tried the two primary approaches to running the ball, all they can do is tweak their offensive line and add more backs.

Kyle Crabbs of the 33rd Team noted that the Raiders could choose to do the latter and add another running back in free agency. Crabbs believes veteran J.K. Dobbins and the Raiders could be a good match, as Dobbins could use another chance and the Raiders, another running back.

"The Raiders signed Raheem Mostert and he joins Dobbins on the list of “I like what I see in spurts but wouldn’t want to hand him the ball 15+ times for four months” running backs," PFN said.

"OK, so maybe such a list doesn’t exist, but you get the idea. Some will say that if you have two partial pieces at a position, you have none, but NFL teams are more willing now than ever to commit on a two-back system and the Raiders could pencil that in for a season while they try to determine the direction of their franchise (Mostert: one-year, $1.255 million deal)."

The woes of the Raiders' ground game have held the offense back nearly as much as subpar play from their quarterback position over the past two seasons. Still, the Raiders have multiple ways of improving the glaring deficincy this offseason.

While the Raiders have already addressed the position in free agency and could decide to do so again by signing a player like Dobbins, they also have the NFL Draft approaching. The draft gives them another golden opportunity to address their ground game.

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