Talk about a gut punch before the season even truly begins. The Las Vegas Raiders got hit with a major scare on Sunday when running back Ashton Jeanty went down hard in practice with what’s now believed to be an ankle sprain, according to ESPN. Man, you hate to see it, especially when a guy is supposed to be the centerpiece of the whole offense. While the initial reports say he’s not expected to be sidelined for long, the immediate future, especially with Week 1 just three weeks out, is definitely fuzzy.
The Drama On The Field And What It Means For The Backfield
The whole scene on Sunday sounds brutal. Jeanty suffered the apparent injury diving for a catch, colliding with cornerback Darien Porter. He was down on the ground for a moment, then needed help off the field, unable to put any weight on that right leg. Seriously, the team even took a knee in prayer. That’s how much concern there was in Raiders camp, and the team didn’t even drop an immediate statement on his status.
This injury is a huge deal because first-year head coach Klint Kubiak had big plans for Jeanty, penciling him in as the centerpiece of the offense, working alongside tight end Brock Bowers. They also added Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. in the fourth round to bring some versatility to the backfield, hoping to form a potential 1-2 punch. The plan was clearly for Jeanty to get the majority of those touches out of the backfield, so even a short absence shakes things up.
Kubiak’s Blueprint Hits A Snag
Kubiak knows how to build a serious running game. He previously deployed one of the league’s top running back duos with the Seattle Seahawks last season. He was clearly banking on Jeanty to step up big time, even after a bit of a rough rookie season. After being taken with the sixth overall pick, Jeanty rushed for 975 yards and only five touchdowns, averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, which ranked 45th in the league. The expectation was that he’d take a huge leap, and this ankle sprain is just the kind of setback you don’t want heading into a new system where you’re the main man.
The Raiders are staring down their Week 1 matchup against the Miami Dolphins in just three weeks. That’s not a lot of time for a guy expected to carry the load to get fully healthy and game-ready. You gotta wonder if Washington Jr. is about to see a much bigger workload right out of the gate, whether Jeanty is out a week or two, or even just limited. It’s a huge question mark for an offense that needs all its key pieces firing.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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