By any measure you can find, the Las Vegas Raiders' offense was among the worst in the NFL last season. That running back Ashton Jeanty was able to do what he did as a rookie, topping 1,300 yards from scrimmage with 10 total touchdowns, was remarkable in that kind of environment.
Klint Kubiak is now being tasked with fixing the Raiders' offense. Better, more connected schematic design will be automatic, along with simply putting players in better position to succeed. Jeanty is naturally among those set to benefit the most, with high expectations for a breakout second year.
Exactly what that breakthrough would look like statistically for Jeanty can go many bold directions. Being lined up to become the fully-fleshed out workhorse last year's situation could not make him easily invites big thoughts, with many possible tentacles that can be taken to.
But it stands to reason that Jeanty's performance could even say more about Kubiak than it says about himself.
Ashton Jeanty will be the instant headline of Klint Kubiak's head coaching resume
NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks has Jeanty on his "All-Breakout Team" on the offensive side of the ball ahead of the 2026 NFL season. While that's hardly an original notion, Brooks took things up a notch or two in his detailed analysis.
"Jeanty could make a serious run at the 2026 rushing title with new Raiders coach Klint Kubiak implementing a zone-based running game that will showcase the second-year pro's balance, body control and burst on the edges," Brooks asserted. "Additionally, Kubiak's experience incorporating running backs in the passing game will help Jeanty reprise the multi-faceted role that made him an unstoppable force at Boise State.
"Considering he amassed 1,321 scrimmage yards and 10 combined touchdowns as the focal point of an underachieving offense in 2025, Jeanty should flourish in the kind of scheme that has helped Christian McCaffrey terrorize the league as a versatile offensive weapon."
Earlier this offseason, Kubiak mentioned McCaffrey by name when talking about Jeanty.
"We want to put a lot of pressure on Ashton," Kubiak said. "The next guy that steps up, whoever that may be. That's going to be seen here in practice, OTAs, and training camp. But we think we should continue to challenge Ashton and get more out of him. ... I said that before: I think it's important to have a quality second back. But the best players got to play, and we got to get them on the field as much as we can. I don't know the play snap percentage, but you look at Christian McCaffrey, his play snap percentage is high. So, those great backs, they don't want to come off the field."
When Kubiak was the San Francisco 49ers' passing game coordinator in 2023, McCaffrey's reception and receiving yardage production were not at his typical level in a fully healthy season (67 catches for 564 yards). But he did have a tied for career-best seven receiving touchdowns that season.
As the New Orleans Saints' offensive coordinator in 2024, Kubiak was able to get 68 receptions and 8.0 yards per catch out of an in-decline Alvin Kamara.
Take Jeanty being in his prime and mix it with potentially being a McCaffrey-like focal point of the Raiders' offense, and you have a recipe for some big things this season (a rushing title, etc.). In line with making that happen, Kubiak would quickly elevate himself as a head coach and offensive mind.
Add us as a preferred source on Google