Oakland Raiders: The good, bad, and ugly in preseason loss to the Rams

Good: Chris Warren III

A week after tearing up the Lions for 86 yards on 13 carries, it was clear that Chris Warren III was doing his best to give the coaches something to think about when they started to organize the depth chart.

And, given that he was the only running back to get a carry against the Rams, it was clear that Gruden and company wanted to give him a longer look to see what he could do. And Warren responded powerfully, rushing for 110 yards on 18 carries (an average of 6.1 yards per carry) and a touchdown.

For two weeks now, the UDFA out of Texas has shown power, vision, patience, and burst, as he’s run around – and through – both Detroit’s and now LA’s defenders.

The initial feeling about Warren when the Raiders signed him, was that he was a camp body, who’d provide some competition, and maybe do enough to earn a spot on the practice squad. Now though, Gruden has got to be looking at him as a viable option to backup Marshawn Lynch, who is the undisputed top of the running backs depth chart.

After former Buccaneers running back Doug Martin was signed by the Raiders – to the chagrin of many – he actually started to show out during the offseason work. Many noted that he seemed to have the power and burst back that led him to two very strong seasons in Tampa Bay – though, he also had four absolutely miserable ones.

But, the thinking was that Martin might be in the midst of a career renaissance in Silver and Black, and would likely serve as Lynch’s primary backup. And he still might. We know that Gruden loves his veterans.

But, the emergence of Warren, as a viable option, has got to be making Gruden take notice.

Rather than as a fringe player, who might possibly have snuck onto the 53-man roster somehow, Warren is – to this point – putting an exclamation point on his statement that he should be included. And that quite possibly, he should be leapfrogging up the depth chart to serve as Lynch’s primary backup, rather than Martin.