Las Vegas Raiders: Jalen Richard injury opens door at running back

The Las Vegas Raiders will be without Jalen Richard for an indefinite amount of time, opening up a door at the running back position.

Earlier in the summer, we spoke about the possibility of Jalen Richard possibly being traded, and a handful of teams that could go after him. However, since the Raiders have gotten started at training camp, Richard has been out, first, due to COVID-19, and now due to a foot injury that will have him out indefinitely.

Unlike previous years, the Raiders have a tremendous 1-2 punch at the running back spot, as Josh Jacobs will return as the feature back, and Kenyan Drake is entering his first season with the franchise. Both players are adept at doing what Richard does best, and that is being a real threat in the passing game, making it a tough hill to climb for Richard this summer.

Now that he is hurt, and other players will get a chance to show what they can do, it is not out of the question that Richard could be done in Las Vegas. There had been some turmoil this offseason, with him deleting everything Raiders related from social media, so it would not be a surprise if he landed elsewhere.

Raiders could roll with Trey Ragas

Jacobs and Drake are no-brainers to make the 53-man roster heading into Week 1 against Baltimore, but after Richard, who do the Raiders have. One player who is very interesting is Trey Ragas, an undrafted rookie who was a touchdown machine during his time at Louisiana, and one who is not afraid to do the dirty work.

In fact, Ragas would be an excellent addition to the active roster because he is a running back who is going to not only run by defenders but loves to put his head down and run over them. Ragas making the roster gives the Raiders more versatility at the position group, and he has shown this summer that he is ready for the pro game.

Las Vegas Raiders: Should the Raiders pursue Zach Ertz?

The Las Vegas Raiders have one all-pro tight end in Darren Waller, could they make it two and add another weapon in Derek Carr's arsenal?

Overall, Richard has had a nice run with the franchise, and while his fumbles were costly at times, he was once one of the better pass-catching options out of the backfield. With Jacobs and Drake, the Raiders have enough talent to fill that role, and even when Richard gets healthy, he may be in his last days wearing the Silver and Black.