The Las Vegas Raiders could possibly have a very different lineup at their running back position next season, depending on what happens with star running back Josh Jacobs this offseason. Either way, the Raiders will have a new running backs coach when next season starts.
According to NFL Network insider Mike Garofolo, the Raiders are set to hire former Carolina Panthers running back coach DeShaun Foster as their running back coach. Foster, who played collegiately at UCLA, has been a coach on UCLA's staff for most of the last decade.
Foster had a successful career as a running back at UCLA, rushing for over 3,000 yards, including over 1,100 yards in his last season with the Bruins. While Foster had been with UCLA for most of the previous decade, he spent a season with new Raiders Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury as Kingsbury's running backs coach at Texas Tech University.
Professionally, Foster played over 75 games in six seasons with the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers, respectively. He'd catch 142 passes, registering over 1,000 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. He also rushed for 11 touchdowns.
Foster is a Charlotte, N.C. native who the Panthers drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft. He'd retire in 2009 and become a coach for UCLA and Texas Tech, respectively.
He now joins the Raiders, who have had one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL over the last two seasons. However, the team could find themselves transitioning at the running back position on the field, with Jacobs set to hit free agency and the Raiders potentially being left with only Zamir White as a quality rushing option remaining on their roster.
The Raiders will either find a way to re-sign Jacobs or add additional talent around White and move forward with a running back-by-committee approach.
Foster, who was a serviceable running back but not a household name, would be able to identify with an underrated but serviceable running back, much like White and whoever else the Raiders would add to the running back group should Jacobs walk in free agency.
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