The Las Vegas Raiders had the worst rushing attack in the entire NFL last season, as their 3.6 yards per carry and 79.8 yards per game were both the fewest in the league by a significant margin. They looked to fix the problem in the 2025 NFL Draft when they selected Ashton Jeanty sixth overall.
Jeanty entered his rookie year with sky-high expectations after a historic final college campaign in which he posted the second-most rushing yards in a single season in NCAA history. Despite the big-time addition, the Raiders' running game has not been any better to begin 2025.
Their 3.1 yards per carry and 72.3 yards per game are both the third-fewest in the NFL. The offensive line has failed to create any running lanes for Jeanty, however, who has been hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on 27 of his 47 carries this season, according to ESPN's Ryan McFadden.
Pete Carroll notes the Raiders must be better at creating space for Ashton Jeanty
Jeanty has struggled over his first three games, as he has run for just 144 yards and one touchdown on 47 carries. This averages out to just 3.1 yards per carry and 48.0 yards per game. Carroll was asked about Jeanty's struggles once again in a recent media availability.
"We have to get [Jeanty] better spacing," Carroll said. "It's the whole attack. We've just got to continue to expand it and keep him from getting hit. [Jeanty is] the first one to look for hits, too. He wants to hit the first thing that moves. He's tough as hell. We're all working together to get that done."
This seems like a rather obvious observation to make about the Raiders' offense, as the offensive line simply cannot pave lanes for the young running back to operate. If anything, this is an indictment of Brennan Carroll, his son and the offensive line coach, or play-caller Chip Kelly.
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While Jeanty has just 144 rushing yards through his first three games, he has 146 rushing yards after contact, which is a statistic that almost seems fake. The Raiders have attempted to tinker with the offensive line; however, the results have not gotten any better.
Fans are hoping to see Jackson Powers-Johnson return to the starting lineup, yet the coaching staff's plans for Week 4 remain unclear. One thing that is clear, however, is that the unit will have to significantly improve for the offense to reach its full potential.
But Carroll's comments do not exactly inspire Raider Nation, as they want more concrete answers about the ways in which they plan to unlock Jeanty. Obviously, a coach can't reveal his game plan, but his comments about helping Jeanty seem rather apparent to anyone who has watched.