How Much Better Will Raiders' Run Game Be?

The Las Vegas Raiders had the worst rushing attack in the NFL last season, no matter how you slice it. 

The Raiders finished last in the league in rushing yards per game and expected points added per rush. Whether it be because of bad offensive line play or poor execution from the running backs, one element of the Raiders’ offense was severely lacking. 

Pete Carroll takes over as the Raiders’ head coach, and Carroll made a name for himself as the Seattle Seahawks’ head coach by dominating teams with elite run games. 

It’s safe to say Carroll walked into a situation he found unacceptable, which reflects the offseason moves the team made to improve the run game. 

Carroll and General Manager John Spytek went with Chip Kelly as the team’s offensive coordinator. Kelly had an explosive rushing attack at Ohio State last season, featuring two 2025 NFL Draft picks that carried the Buckeyes to a national championship. 

The team then signed veteran speedster Raheem Mostert in free agency and selected Ashton Jeanty in the first round in April. This team’s run game will look far different – and likely vastly improved – this upcoming season. 

But how much better will this run game be? 

It is hard to be worse than the worst, and the players the Raiders brought in will not make them worse on the ground. The Raiders will have a better run game in 2025; it is only a matter of how much better. 

Jeanty provides an explosive element as a runner. According to Pro Football Focus, Jeanty totaled 63 explosive runs (runs of 10 or more yards).

The Raiders had just three runs of 20 or more yards, so Jeanty will help water reach its level when it comes to big plays on the ground. Mostert may not be the player he once was, but he will help in that regard, too. 

The offensive line is healthy, with young players like Jackson Powers-Johnson and DJ Glaze primed to take a step forward. Kelly’s offensive system should help them be good run-blockers, which will go a long way for this offense as a whole. 

The Raiders will not go worst-to-first with their run game this season, but they should be a serious threat to opposing defenses. 

If this offense can be middle-of-the-pack, hanging around the 16th-best to 19th-best rushing attack, the Raiders will give themselves a serious chance to compete for a wild card in the AFC.

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