​The Las Vegas Raiders are hoping that their new head coach Klint Kubiak can revive the team’s running game. In addition, the Silver and Black have taken steps to strengthen their offensive line by signing Tyler Linderbaum and Spencer Burford in free agency. In the 2026 NFL Draft, Las Vegas selected Trey Zuhn III in the third round, a move aimed at bolstering the interior protection and run blocking. Taken together, these moves point to a renewed emphasis on establishing a more productive ground game to help Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. make a bigger impact on offense.
Jeanty entered the 2025 season facing several hurdles, yet he still delivered solid numbers. He completed the year with an overall PFF grade of 70.4 over 770 snaps for the Raiders, while rushing 266 times for 975 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 3.7 yards per carry and forcing 61 missed tackles. Although he did not reach 1,000 rushing yards, Raiders legend Marcus Allen expressed confidence in Jeanty’s potential for Las Vegas. “When he gets a little opening, he can be special,” Allen said during a July 10 appearance on the NFL Network. Reflecting on last season, Allen acknowledged the offense’s challenges but emphasized Jeanty’s promise and the need for improved blocking to free him up. “I think he had a pretty good year given the circumstances. He showed a lot of potential, and I expect him to build on that this year.” Allen also stressed the importance of better up-front protection, noting that Jeanty often took hits in the backfield and had to shake off defenders before reaching a running lane. “Penetration was an Achilles’ heel,” he explained. “If we don’t allow that to happen, we’ll create more holes for him.”
With an upgraded offensive line featuring Linderbaum, Burford, Zuhn, and the return of Kolton Miller, along with the possibility of improved play from younger linemen, Las Vegas should be better equipped to run the ball. This assessment aligns with Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, who recently identified Jeanty as the Raiders’ most promising building block in the ongoing rebuild. In a July 5 article, Knox wrote that while rookie quarterback and first overall pick Fernando Mendoza could eventually become a franchise cornerstone, the more immediate impact could come from 2025 first-round pick Ashton Jeanty, who was selected sixth overall from Boise State and was expected to be a dynamic, do-it-all running back for the team.