The Las Vegas Raiders needed a solution at the running back position this offseason after having the worst rushing attack in the league last year. That solution was Ashton Jeanty, whom the Raiders selected with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Expectations were certainly high for this young prospect after a dominant career at Boise State, but his rookie campaign in the NFL has been anything but impressive through two games. Jeanty has just 81 rushing yards and 3 receiving yards to his name at the professional level.
While the offensive line shoulders the majority of the blame for his rushing struggles, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has also failed to use Jeanty correctly. In his first two NFL games, Jeanty has just 35 touches on 93 offensive snaps.
Raiders' Ashton Jeanty knows he needs a bigger role in the offense
After Monday's defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers, head coach Pete Carroll was asked about Jeanty's workload and usage. The veteran leader preached patience with the young player, but also said he'd like to see more.
"We're just getting started. He's breaking into the NFL. He's figuring it out. He had 11 or something carries tonight. Is that what he had? 11. Yeah. He'll get more. That'll come," Carroll said. "We're going to have to run the football better than we did, more effectively. We got to get more yards. We have 50 or 60 yards or something rushing. That's not enough. We got to get more than that. So, um, I'd like to see that just as well as you would. But as far as pushing the issue with him, you know, trying to get him 25 carries or something like that, we're breaking him in. So, that'll come."
Carroll is obviously not the offensive play-caller, as that duty belongs to Kelly. But if the head coach wants to see something from an offense that has failed to live up to expectations thus far, then it is likely that he will.
RELATED: Chip Kelly refuses to make the changes Raiders fans know are necessary
It went without saying that Jeanty, who was a bellcow back in college for the last two years, wanted to be more involved with the offense as well. But he actually said this out loud when speaking to reporters on Wednesday.
"I don’t think you draft a guy like me to not give me carries and touches. I’m ready for the responsibility," Jeanty said. "Like I said, it's gonna start with me in the run game, and I gotta continue to get better. ... There's a learning curve to the NFL for every single rookie that comes in. I think it's really rare that a guy comes in and is ballin' off the rip. I'm not feeling no type of way towards it; like I said, I need to get better. The big-time performances that everybody might be expecting, those will come, but it's just about consistency."
Raider Nation can only hope to see more of Jeanty in the coming weeks, as the generational running back prospect is a key piece of both this year's formula and the future. It sounds like Jeanty is ready for more responsibilities, and Las Vegas would be foolish not to give them to him.