The 2024-25 NFL season has come to a close, as the Philadelphia Eagles hoisted the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the night.
The Eagles built their roster through the trenches and subsequently put running back Saquon Barkley behind their excellent offensive line. Their defensive line made life miserable for Patrick Mahomes, sacking him six times.
The Las Vegas Raiders won just four games last season, and they are now looking to improve their roster under new head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek. Building through the trenches is a good way to win more games, as both the Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs showed the NFL world.
Another thing the Raiders must do is improve at running back. Las Vegas had the worst rushing attack in the league last season, failing to average 100 yards a game.
The Raiders’ run game did not work for several reasons. They did not have reliable enough backs, teams did not fear the Raiders’ passing game, and the offensive line did not open enough holes.
There are plenty of running backs available in the 2025 NFL Draft the Raiders could be interested in. Hiring Chip Kelly as their offensive coordinator creates an obvious connection between Ohio State stars TreVeyon Henderson or Quinshon Judkins and the Silver and Black.
Another player that makes sense is North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. The Tar Heel star rushed for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024. He is a physical runner with excellent speed and agility.
Wherever the Raiders find their next running back, they must add more youth to that group. It is a fairly young group, but they need someone to stand out from the crowd that failed to produce much last season.
Zamir White and Dylan Laube are 25 years old, but they are the only Raider running backs under contract next season. Alexander Mattison (26) and Ameer Abdullah (31) will hit free agency this spring.
White did not have the breakout season he and Raider Nation hoped for, so he may not be a long-term option for this team. Laube, a sixth-round pick in last year’s draft, did not do much in his limited snaps.
Caroll brings an old-school philosophy to the Raiders’ offense. He will want to pound the rock and wear teams down at the line of scrimmage.
The Raiders must bring in a player with tread on the tires if they want to actualize that to the best of their ability.
