This Las Vegas Raider Faces Immense Pressure in 2025

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Ezekiel Trezevant | Last updated May 31, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders have had one of the National Football League's worst ground games over the past two seasons. Las Vegas finished last season with the fewest rushing yards of any team in the league. They finished the season before that with the third-fewest rushing yards in the league.

There have been plenty of reasons other than the multiple running backs Las Vegas has tried over the past two seasons that are to blame for the team's rushing woes. However, a quality running back that can overcome the offense's other potential shortcomings should help Las Vegas tremendously.

Still, because of the Raiders' inability to run the ball in recent seasons, and the fact that they drafted a running back with the No. 6 overall pick, Jeffri Chadiha of NFL.com named Jeanty as the rookie facing the second-most pressure of any rookie this season.

"It’s no secret what new head coach Pete Carroll wants to do on offense in his first season with the Raiders. He seems to clearly want to replicate the same formula he used during his time in Seattle, which involved handing the ball to a bell-cow back as often as he possibly could. Jeanty was the sixth overall pick in this year's draft -- which makes him the highest-drafted runner since the Giants selected Saquon Barkley second overall in 2018 -- for that reason," Chadiha said.

Chadiha noted that the hype surrounding Jeanty, while legitimate, adds to the expectations that he enters the league with. The hype surrounding Jeanty and Las Vegas' need for significant improvement on the ground all adds to the pressure being placed upon Jeanty's shoulders.

"Jeanty was hailed as one of the best talents in the class because he’s a three-down back with home-run ability. That means he’ll have plenty of opportunities to carry this offense, even with the Raiders trading for veteran quarterback Geno Smith this offseason and boasting a blossoming superstar in tight end Brock Bowers. Carroll needs to change the culture fast in Las Vegas and establish this franchise as an up-and-comer in the AFC West. Jeanty blowing up in Year 1 is essential to those hopes," Chadiha said.

The Raiders enter this upcoming season needing to show improvement. This is especially true on the offensive side of the ball

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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