Ashton Jeanty’s Future in Las Vegas Suddenly Looks Uncertain

Whew. Thanks, Geno Smith.

Despite literally giving the middle finger to the fan base last season, the former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback finally showed Raider Nation some love Sunday. Las Vegas seemed poised to lose yet another shootout until Smith launched a giant meatball into the end zone that Jeremy Chinn intercepted with a toe-tap catch, gifting the Silver and Black a much-needed win. Let’s react!

Ashton Jeanty Might Not be a Raider for Much Longer

Yikes. In just 18 months, Jeanty has gone from a top-10 pick and feature back to a third-down role behind a rookie fourth-round pick. What is even more damning is that it seems like the right move. Mike Washington Jr. did not exactly set the world on fire in his first game as the starter. There was, however, a noticeably positive change.

Look, the Raiders’ run game is going to struggle until they get the offensive line fixed. In the meantime, Washington’s size, power and downhill running style raise the floor on every run play. Jeanty is still probably the better overall back. Right now, though, he is not the better fit, and more important, he is not the better fit in Las Vegas.

If the Raiders continue to move forward with Washington as the lead back, they will face a difficult decision this offseason. The former Boise State running back is still young. He has shown enough flashes that a team may be enticed to offer a second- or third-round pick for his services. That could be worth considering if Jeanty is only going to be the No. 2 back and is unlikely to sign a second contract. It would obviously make his top-10 selection a colossal failure. Unfortunately, that seems to be where things are headed. Las Vegas may have to cut its losses.

Speaking of the run game…

Get Rid of the Connor Heyward Tush Push

Klint Kubiak has tried his best to keep his 38-year-old quarterback out of harm’s way. One of the ways he has done that is by getting creative in short-yardage situations.

Instead of the traditional quarterback sneak, Kubiak has opted to put fullback Connor Heyward under center and run the Eagles’ signature “Tush Push” with him. Kirk Cousins lines up deep in the backfield, away from the action. In theory, this is a very clever idea. In reality, it is not working.

The last several times the Raiders have tried it, they have been stuffed. There are a litany of reasons why. Offensive line struggles are definitely part of it, but there are other factors.

For one, center Tyler Linderbaum likely has to take more care snapping to less familiar hands. That takes his focus away from his blocking duties. Also, with Cousins still on the field but out of the play, the Raiders are essentially playing a man down. Finally, taking Cousins out from under center drastically limits what the defense has to prepare for.

Cousins, meanwhile, was effective running quarterback sneaks behind this same offensive line. Oh, and he did not get hurt, because he’s a big boy. Kubiak needs to cut the cute stuff in short yardage and run the same play that has worked for everyone for decades.

Finally, let’s stay in the trenches but jump to the other side of the ball.

The Raiders Desperately Need A New Defensive Line

The Raiders gave up 166 yards on the ground to a Jets offense without Breece Hall. They also got picked apart through the air by Geno Smith, who had all day to throw. The poor defensive showings could previously be attributed to facing high-powered offenses, but this past week, the Raiders got bullied by the New York Jets. Now the real problem is clear: This defensive line, outside of Maxx Crosby, is simply not good enough.

On the edges, Kwity Paye and Malcolm Koonce are borderline non-factors from down to down. Outside of a couple of splash plays, they generally are not winning their matchups, especially against the run. The interior is even worse. That group is anchored by a past-his-prime Adam Butler, and the only other player who has shown some promise is Tonka Hemingway, who is still finding his way in his second season. The rest of the defensive linemen on the roster would probably struggle to make many 53-man rosters around the league. There is likely very little the Raiders can do in season, but shoring up this position must be a top priority this offseason.