Legendary Running Back Praises Raiders' Ashton Jeanty

How much will the Silver Black lean on the running game this season?

The Las Vegas Raiders offense wants to be better in many areas this season. But there is one area that they need to make sure there is much improvement in. That is the running game. That is something the Silver and Black could not figure out last season. The Raiders were the worst team overall when it came to running the ball in 2024. That is one big reason why they went out and drafted rookie running back Ashon Jeanty with the sixth overall pick.

Now that we are in the second half of training camp, Jeanty is getting more comfortable with the offense, and you are seeing that on the field. It is never easy for a rookie to come in and show everything early on because they are still adapting to the NFL game. But now that Jeanty is getting better with the offense, he has been showing why the Raiders drafted him so high.

If the Raiders can run the ball well, that opens up a lot more things for the offense. That can give the team another aspect of the offense that the opposing defenses will have to worry about. The offense will not be one-dimensional like they were a year ago. The Raiders want to be about to do it effectively. And head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly are going to try to establish the run early on in the season and make adjustments from there.

Carroll's and Raiders former running back Marshawn Lynch gave his take on Jeanty.

Ashton Jeanty

Jan 27, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Marshawn Lynch at a press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"I know that he [Jeanty] is in a good situation," said Lynch on The Rich Eisen Show. "I know that he is going to get opportunities. And I mean, you know, as a runner in this league, that is all you want. Opportunities for your team to be successful."

"And from having conversations with him, I know that he likes to play football. And that is going to be big over there because Pete Carroll is going to make sure that he puts the ball in his hands ... He gots that military background, so being able to have that discipline as well, like that is going to be something big."

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