Oakland Raiders: Did The Team Make The Wrong Call At Running Back?
By Kevin Saito
The Oakland Raiders got down to the league mandated 53-man roster over the weekend, and there were a few surprises among the cuts – but did the team err in their decision at running back?
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In getting down to the league mandated 53-man roster, the Oakland Raiders were forced to part with some fantastic young talent. Though there were hardly any earth shattering surprises among the cuts, there were a few that have raised a few eyebrows among Raider partisans. Of course, there is much disagreement and debate over who was kept and who was cut among fans, as is to be expected. But one must wonder if, when it comes to the running back position, if the Raiders didn’t make a mistake.
Without a doubt, the Raiders’ running game was its weak link last season. Latavius Murray ran for more than 1,000 yards and in fact, posted the sixth highest total in the entire league last season. Despite that fact, Oakland’s running game struggled mightily and could never be counted on to truly augment the offense. As a result of their anemic ground game, Oakland’s passing game also suffered, leading to some stagnant offensive performances.
Though Murray takes the lion’s share of the heat for Oakland’s relatively punchless rushing attack, it’s not fair to put all of the burden on his shoulders. He had absolutely zero help in the running game. It was believed that veterans Roy Helu and Taiwan Jones would add different dimensions to Oakland’s ground game and make it strong and versatile.
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Except that strength and versatility never materialized.
Jamize Olawale was Oakland’s second best back in terms of quality rushes, but quarterback Derek Carr was second on the team to Murray in rushing yards overall. Though it’s been said before, it bears repeating – if your quarterback is your team’s second leading rusher, something has gone terribly wrong with your running game.
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The Raiders sought to address the situation by drafting Texas Tech running back Deandre Washington in the fifth round of this year’s draft. And UDFA Jalen Richard has been impressive throughout camp and has carved out a role for himself on this team.
Both Washington and Richard are very similar in stature and style. Both are lightning fast, can make people miss in space, and have terrific pass catching hands out of the backfield. Those two look like they will give the Raiders what they thought they had last season.
But where the eyebrows are being raised after the final cut down is the fact that the Raiders retained Jones on the 53 man roster. Not that they kept Jones, but the fact that they cut another back who was flashing real promise throughout the preseason – George Atkinson III.
Many argue that Jones adds tremendous value on special teams. Which is true. Jones is an outstanding special teamer. However, Atkinson also flashed some real ability on special teams. His 81 yard return for a touchdown against the Seahawks is evidence of that.
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With 191 yards on just 19 carries – including three runs of 20 yards or more – to go along with three touchdowns, Atkinson led the Raiders in all of those categories. Atkinson put together a quality camp and preseason performance, showing that he had value to Oakland’s running game as well as special teams units. Many believed he thoroughly outshined Jones and was in line for a roster spot this year.
However, the Raiders coaching staff apparently thought otherwise.
Perhaps with Murray being backed up by Washington and Richard, HC Jack Del Rio thought the running game was in solid enough shape that he chose to focus on special teams. The concern though, is that should the rookies struggle the way Helu and Jones did last season, options are limited.
And given that Atkinson was claimed off waivers by the Browns, those options have become even more limited.
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Jones is a solid special teamer. But as a running back, he’s a non-factor. In five seasons with the Raiders,he’s amassed a paltry 191 yards in total. Add to that the fact that Jones has only been healthy enough to play a full slate of games in one season – back in 2013. Injuries have forced him to miss games in every other season he’s played.
Oakland’s rushing attack desperately needs a spark of life. In fact, their entire offensive game plan is relying on it. We saw last season how badly the offense as a unit struggled when the ground game wasn’t strong or effective. To send a back who looked to have the potential to help in that cause packing should raise a few eyebrows. At the very least.
In a season where GM Reggie McKenzie and Del Rio have been striking all of the right notes, cutting Atkinson and retaining Jones seems to be a bit off key.