Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White has quite the shoes to fill following Josh Jacobs' exit, but do fans need to adjust their expectations?
Say what you want about Jacobs this offseason; you can't deny his impact despite his constant critique of the Raiders organization. The numbers speak for themselves; not to mention, he had arguably the greatest individual season for any Raiders running back in history in 2022. All of that is now irrelevant; White's development will determine the team's future.
For a position that's been severely undervalued by the league, having a reliable running back is as crucial as ever. That's especially true for a team that needs to take as much pressure off of quarterback Aidan O'Connell as possible. That being said, expecting White to simply come in and take on the load for Jacobs might be shortsighted.
Even if you're not a fan of applying a running back by committee approach, the Raiders could be better off easing White into a full-time role.
Raiders beat writer does not anticipate Zamir White's usage to be comparable
In a recent mailbag response from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Raiders beat writer Vincent Bonsignore elaborated on White's planned usage as training camp approaches. Though he acknowledged White's offseason work and the fact he'll receive ample chances, a committee shouldn't shock Raider Nation.
"That said, his usage probably won’t replicate the load Josh Jacobs carried as the featured running back the past few years," Bonsignore wrote. "Expect to see Alexander Mattison play a complementary role to give the Raiders a different look while preserving White. It might not be a full-on running back by committee situation, but certainly a more balanced approach compared to seasons past."
Thus far, White has only amassed 121 carries in his professional career. Though, it should be noted that down the stretch he successfully took on a larger role. In the last three games, White recorded 67 rushing attempts, 328 yards, and averaged almost five yards a carry (4.90). During his collegiate career at Georgia, White was a workhorse--304 carries in his last two seasons certainly reinforce that notion.
Looking ahead, it'll likely be up to White in terms of his usage. Do we all remember when Josh McDaniels took over? The assumption was that he was coming with a committee approach (due to his history as New England Patriots offensive coordinator). In the end, Jacobs shut down that notion through sheer effort; can we expect the same from White?