Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Trey Ragas or BJ Emmons? Raiders have choice to make at backup running back

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Steve Marcus

Las Vegas Raiders running back B.J. Emmons during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021, in Las Vegas.

A year ago, the Raiders couldn’t wait to get rid of a third-round draft pick rookie running back. This year, they’re dreading not being able to keep two undrafted rookie running backs.

Trey Ragas and BJ Emmons have both made positive impressions on the Raiders’ coaching staff and teammates alike through training camp and two preseason games.

“They’re both nice, man,” Pro-Bowl running back Josh Jacobs said after a pair of joint practices with the Rams last week. “The thing I’ll say that’s impressed me the most in them coming in is how fast they’ve picked up the playbook. You can tell they’re really locked in and want to make the team, and they give everything they’ve got every day at practice.”

With veteran backup running back Jalen Richard sidelined by a foot injury, it looks almost certain that either Ragas, a University of Louisiana product, or Emmons, out of Florida Atlantic by way of Alabama, will make the 53-man roster. Final roster cuts are due in less than a week, on Tuesday Aug. 31, and Las Vegas needs a final member of a running back room sure to feature Jacobs, passing-down back Kenyan Drake and fullback Alec Ingold.

Raiders coach Jon Gruden referenced wanting to find the right backup running back after Saturday’s preseason game against the Rams. He also reiterated on Tuesday that the plan for Sunday’s final preseason game at the 49ers was to play guys who are fighting for roster spots and wouldn’t guarantee time for any starters.

“We’re going to look at the players we think we have to look at to make the proper evaluation,” Gruden said.

Click to enlarge photo

Las Vegas Raiders running back Trey Ragas (36) runs against Seattle Seahawks linebacker Nate Evans (58) during the second half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021, in Las Vegas.

That won’t be any change as it pertains to running backs as Ragas and Emmons have played almost the entirety of the Raiders’ exhibition wins over the Seahawks and Rams. Neither player has separated himself statistically, though Emmons holds a slight edge in rushing yards, 79 to 63, despite fewer carries, 19 to 17.

But in-game rushing production is unlikely to play a major factor into which player the Raiders keep on the active roster, especially not in the preseason where Gruden has openly kept his offense vanilla. It’s going to be a lot more complicated than that, and come down to whom the Raiders have seen more out of in a variety of areas over the last month.

Wednesday’s practice, the Raiders’ first back in their Henderson headquarters in more than a week after joint sessions with the Rams, didn’t provide any hints on which way the team is leaning. With both Jacobs and Drake practicing, Ragas and Emmons were left to split second-team repetitions.

And they seemed to split them dead-evenly, as each rookie would rotate in for one play behind quarterback Marcus Mariota during full-team work at the end of the practice. The only certainty seems to be that the Raiders have confidence in both of them.

Ragas had the better college career, gaining 3,999 career yards and 43 touchdowns as a four-year player for the Ragin Cajuns, which is part of the reason why he was considered a stronger prospect going into April’s NFL Draft. Unlike Emmons, Ragas snagged a draft combine invite, and though he wasn’t ultimately taken, he was seen as one of the Raiders’ best undrafted free-agent signings.   

“Ragas didn’t know how to get in a three-point stance when he got here,” Gruden said earlier this month. “No one’s come further in a shorter period of time than him.”

Emmons, meanwhile, signed with the Seahawks after the draft but was cut before training camp began. Las Vegas then picked Emmons up along with veteran Darius Jackson, but the latter didn’t make it through first cuts.

Former Lions running back Bo Scarbrough also had a short stint with the Raiders, getting released after rushing four times for 10 yards in the win over the Seahawks. All the moves have indicated the Raiders are comfortable with Emmons.

“He’s interesting,” Gruden said. “He’s big, he’s fast, he’s elusive and he’s got no miles on him. He’s an unknown. He’s off to a good start.”

Partially because of injuries, Emmons totaled only 564 yards and eight touchdowns across three seasons with the Crimson Tide and Owls. But he was a big-time recruit coming out of high school and may still have more big-play ability than Ragas, who has a more physical running style that may be better suited for the NFL.    

They’re both 24 years old and practically the same size with the 5-foot-11, 215 pound Emmons having one inch and one pound on Ragas according to the team’s listed measurables. The Raiders may try to keep both, signing the odd man out on the practice squad if he eventually clears waivers.

It’s the second straight year where the Raiders will come out of training camp with a surprise in the running back room. Last season, Devontae Booker beat out Lynn Bowden, whom the Raiders drafted highly with big plans, to complement Jacobs and Richard.

With Booker now with the New York Giants and Richard on the mend, either Ragas or Emmons looks poised to realize an NFL dream that looked like a longshot just a month ago.

“Jalen Richard goes down and another man gets an opportunity,” Gruden said earlier this month. “Tim Berbenich, our running backs coach, he’s been with me a long time and he’s done a hell of a job.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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