Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak thinks Jeanty's workload was too large, which is why he added Washington.
The Las Vegas Raiders ranked last in the league in rushing yardage last season, despite drafting the top running pick in the draft with the No. 6 pick last season in Ashton Jeanty. Most of the blame was put on the team’s terrible offensive line, and Jeanty was mostly given a pass because he rarely had room to run.
But new coach Klint Kubiak saw things a little differently, according to Ely Allen of ProFootballRumors.com. He knew how bad the line was, and he knew how bad the offense was as a whole. But Kubiak also saw Jeanty’s workload, which consisted of 266 carries, as part of the problem. None of the other running backs on the Raiders roster had more than 22 carries, which the coach viewed as an overload issue.
Kubiak decided a two-back system was the answer, so the Raiders drafted Mike Washington Jr. from Arkansas in the fourth round. It was a good move on paper, although some scouts and evaluators wonder if Washington’s athleticism will translate to production on the field.
But Washington’s athleticism and size may give him some advantages given the traits that Jeanty lacks. Jeanty is a smaller, stout back who checks in at 5’8” and 211 pounds, while Washington is 6’, 225. Jeanty lacks top-end speed, which Washnigton has according to Allen, especially in the open field.
Washington will have to overcome a couple of problems, though. He has an upright running style, which is the opposite of Jeanty’s low to the ground approach, and that keeps him from finishing runs with violence. He also needs work in pass protection, which is going to be a major point of emphasis in training camp.
The ideal scenario in any two-back system is to capitalize on the strengths of both players, and that will be Kubiak’s big challenge in Las Vegas. He did it with the Seattle Seahawks with running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, and the Seahawks were able to survive Charbonnet’s late-season injury and post an impressive playoff run. But that was mostly about their defense, which is a strength Kubiak probably won’t have this year.
It’s going to be a challenge, and it will be fascinating to see how it will play going forward. Jeanty is obviously a quality back, but no one knows if he has the skill set to provide the top-end production that would justify his draft status. Washington, meanwhile, has the talent to provide production, but no one knows what his ceiling is right now.