Raiders counting on runners to pick up production

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Friday, July 29, 2022 | 2 a.m.

The Raiders may sport one of the most impressive collections of skill-position talent in the NFL, with quarterback Derek Carr throwing to a trio of bona fide stars in Davante Adams, Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow, but the Las Vegas offense won’t truly reach its potential in 2022 unless it gets adequate production from its running backs.

That was an issue last year, when the team finished 28^th in the league in rushing yards per game (95.6) and 25^th in yards per rush (4.0). And that was despite featuring former first-round pick Josh Jacobs and prized free-agent acquisition Kenyan Drake as a 1-2 punch.

A change at head coach should help; the Jon Gruden offense is out and Josh McDaniels is in, and both Jacobs and Drake should get an opportunity to shine in the new system.

After Thursday’s training camp practice, which was the team’s second session in full pads, McDaniels praised his backfield group, which also includes former New England Patriot Brandon Bolden, veteran Ameer Abdullah and rookie Zamir White.

“We’ve got a competitive room,” McDaniels said. “They all feed off one another.”

Injuries nagged at Jacobs last year, resulting in his least productive season as a pro. He played in 15 of 17 games and managed 4.0 yards per carry, rushing for 872 yards and nine touchdowns. The Raiders responded by not picking up his rookie fifth-year option, essentially making 2022 a prove-it campaign for Jacobs.

So far, Jacobs seems determined to bounce back.

“He wants the reps. You can see him, he’s taking a lot of reps in there and trying to work,” McDaniels said. “Josh got himself ready to go. He rehabbed hard in the offseason and got ready to participate at the beginning of camp.”

Running the ball won’t be the only bar by which the Raiders’ backs are measured. One of the trademarks of McDaniels’s system has been his consistent use of running backs in the passing game, targeting them on early downs and finding plenty of snaps for third-down backs.

Last year, the Patriots lost pass-catching specialist James White to injury early in the season. McDaniels plugged in Bolden, a veteran who had caught just 15 passes over the previous four years, and Bolden promptly churned out 41 receptions for 405 yards and two touchdowns.

One of McDaniels’s first moves after taking over in Las Vegas was to sign Bolden as a free agent. But while Bolden brings experience to the position, that specialized pass-catching role might be perfectly suited for Drake.

Drake caught 30 balls for 291 yards last year, but could see those numbers balloon with a playbook that is designed to utilize running backs in the passing game.

“Throughout my entire career, I’ve predicated my game on versatility,” Drake said. “Being able to do anything and everything the coaches ask of me, whether that’s catching the ball out of backfield, running between or outside the tackles, special teams with the ball in my hands or without the ball in my hands…I’m just excited to contribute in any way possible.”

In such a star-studded offense, touches may be limited for any single running back. But as a group, they can combine to bring McDaniels’s offense to life.

“At the end of the day, there’s only one ball, and we’ve got a lot of playmakers,” Drake said. “Coach McDaniels and the rest of the offensive staff is going to do their best to put each and every one of us in the best position to help this team win games, and that’s the important part. Plays are going to be made, people are going to make the plays. Whether it’s me or somebody else, I’m all for it.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.