When Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty went down with an injury during Sunday's practice, a dark cloud was cast over this team and its fans. So, a Sunday evening update that Jeanty had only suffered a sprained ankle suddenly felt like the best news, considering the circumstances.
But while the Raiders and their star rusher avoided a major disaster, it's not as if Jeanty is guaranteed to be "just fine." The team still hasn't made a statement, and much is still left to be determined, even if credible reporting is saying that the ailment isn't long-term. This changes the equation in Las Vegas.
Although the Silver and Black could always add someone external as roster cutdowns loom and the landscape changes, they may already have a solid in-house candidate in UDFA Roman Hemby. Once considered the odd man out, the door to Hemby making the roster has now cracked back open.
Ashton Jeanty's injury could change the Raiders' RB picture for Roman Hemby
From a numbers standpoint, there just wasn't likely to be room for Hemby. If the Raiders carry five backs, which is likely, then Jeanty, Mike Washington Jr., Dylan Laube, Dare Ogunbowale and fullback Connor Heyward would take up those five spots. That meant Hemby was likely headed to waivers.
And while teams are often reluctant to claim players from other franchises, there was no guarantee that Hemby would clear waivers and end up back in Las Vegas on the practice squad. Now, however, Klint Kubiak and John Spytek may be forced to carry the young back on the 53-man team.
Considering Jeanty's injury isn't reportedly keeping him out for the season, the Raiders can't put him on the injured reserve at this point. They'll have to keep him on the squad and make him either inactive on game days or put him on the short-term IR (four weeks) once initial rosters are finalized.
If Las Vegas doesn't want to risk losing Hemby, and they probably shouldn't, given how bleak the open market is right now and how futile trading for another back would be, then it needs to keep Hemby in the building come August 30, which is cutdown day. That changes the math elsewhere, too.
Instead of keeping, say, six wide receivers on the 53, the Raiders may only keep five. If Jeanty goes to IR, then the team can pick someone else up. If not, that means they're getting Jeanty back sooner than anticipated, which would also be a great thing.
It makes the most sense for Hemby to stick around at this point because he knows the offense, and he is also more of a pure runner than the other backs Las Vegas has. Laube and Ogunbowale can be good in their roles, but they're not going to pound the rock on the ground like Hemby can.
Washington Jr. is the obvious stand-in for Jeanty if he misses time, but it shouldn't be a shock to see Hemby get some carries if the Raiders' star back is out. Fortunes change fast in the NFL, as Hemby looked like an obvious cut candidate on Sunday morning. Now, he could be someone they lean on.
The margins are just so thin in this league, and roster building is its own art form. Maybe Hemby finds himself on the canvas; more information will certainly paint a clearer picture.
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