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The Las Vegas Raiders made significant upgrades at running back this offseason. 

They came as the team finished at the bottom of the league in run game efficiency. The Raiders were last in the league in rushing yards per game and expected points added per rush. 

You cannot have an effective offense without a good run game, and new head coach Pete Carroll and General Manager John Spytek knew that. 

The team drafted Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and signed veteran Raheem Mostert to back him up. 

These moves put the future of Zamir White, who broke onto the scene at the end of the 2023 season, into question. 

White has looked good at minicamp, but Sincere McCormick has also performed well. Whoever loses the battle for the RB3 spot could be an odd man out. 

Depending on who wins – or loses – the job, could White or McCormick be a trade candidate? 

Let’s evaluate that battle and see what could happen. 

White is a powerful runner who thrived when Josh Jacobs went out with an injury at the end of the 2023 season, but struggled when he took over as the top running back in 2024. 

Those struggles opened a door for McCormick to take more carries. He and White finished with the same amount of rushing yards (183), but McCormick took 26 fewer carries. 

Over the final four games of the season, McCormick took 39 carries for 183 yards. He showed off shiftiness and quickness to his game, with a little more nuance in his runs than White possesses. 

Not many fans will pay much attention to a battle for the RB3 spot, but running back depth is important, considering how often Carroll plans to run the football. 

The loser of the RB3 job could be on the trade block. That is purely speculation, but it makes sense for both running backs. 

White’s rookie contract expires after this season, and the team is not strongly financially tied to McCormick, who will become an exclusive rights free agent next season. It would cost the team almost nothing to move on from either of them. 

Football is a business, and the Raiders will look for assets for a player who does not help them win. 

This battle promises to be intriguing, and we will bring you the latest updates as they develop.

Make sure to follow us on X @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and stay up to date on our coverage of the Las Vegas Raiders and Zamir White.


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

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