The Las Vegas Raiders have given fans very little to look forward to amid their 2-13 start. While fans are certainly hoping that the franchise loses out to land the No. 1 overall pick and potentially a franchise quarterback, there are many holes that the team will need to fill in the offseason.
While landing a signal-caller will be the first order of business in the draft, revamping the offensive line, whether it is in free agency or the draft, will be equally important. Las Vegas has allowed the second-most sacks through 15 games, while also posting the fewest rushing yards and touchdowns.
Not only would improving the offensive line benefit whoever is under center next season, but it would also pay dividends for Ashton Jeanty, who has shown the potential to be great if he is given running lanes.
After the rookie running back's career game against the Houston Texans' elite defense, which leads the league in both scoring defense and total yards allowed, Geno Smith praised the star rookie's versatility with a unique compliment.
Ashton Jeanty receives strong praise from Geno Smith following elite Week 16 performance
Jeanty had struggled in recent weeks, as he had only finished with over 100 yards from scrimmage once in the past nine games. It has been through no fault of his own, however, as he was often being hit in the backfield and miraculously still churning out positive yardage.
That changed in Week 16, however, as the offensive line showed up big, and Jeanty ran the ball 24 times for 128 yards and one touchdown. He also added one reception that went for a 60-yard touchdown. Smith offered unique praise to Jeanty during his press conference on Tuesday.
"I really think he could play receiver. I think he could be a slot receiver in this league," Smith said. "He's got great hands. He's great out of the backfield. He understands spacing, and he just knows what to do. You can tell he understands the game, and when he gets the ball in his hands, whether that's in the backfield or in the catching game, he's so explosive and dynamic. So, however we can get him the ball in space, that's what we try to do, and you see what he does when he gets that opportunity."
In high school, Jeanty actually played slot receiver for a few years, so Smith is not far off. It likely explains why Jeanty is such a lethal weapon in the passing game as well.
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Jeanty was asked about Smith's comments and if he had studied previous running backs who thrived in the passing game.
"Yeah, definitely," Jeanty said. "I've been watching Christian McCaffrey for a little while. But, yeah, I can try to take things from different guys' games like LaDainian Tomlinson. I've watched him a lot, too. But just being dynamic, with, without the ball, before getting the ball, running routes, it's a great thing to have."
Jeanty has shown flashes of greatness at various times in both the running and passing game. His 1,154 yards from scrimmage and 828 rushing yards lead all rookies, while his 326 receiving yards and 50 receptions lead all rookie running backs. His ten total touchdowns also rank second among all rookies, one short of the lead for his draft class.
The sixth overall pick has not gotten much help from his offensive line, but he has shown that when they can create space for him, he truly can be an elite player. The Raiders will certainly need more consistency from Jeanty, but a major part of that will be up to the team's ability to improve the offensive line this offseason.
Jeanty's ability to thrive as a pass-catcher could also open up the offense, which doesn't have many weapons in the passing game, as things stand. It is unclear if Pete Carroll will be back, as the franchise could opt for an offensive mind to develop a potential rookie quarterback. That could also benefit players like Jeanty and Brock Bowers, as they may be used in less traditional roles in 2026.