After letting Josh Jacobs walk to the Green Bay Packers in free agency last offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders failed to adequately replace him, which helped lead to the team finishing with the worst rushing attack in the NFL.
The Raiders were hoping Zamir White would take a step forward in his third season after a strong finish to 2023, but the exact opposite happened and White was woefully disappointing in 2024.
Alexander Mattison proved to be a better option than White, but that wasn’t saying much. Mattison is a nice secondary back to have on the roster but not someone who should be starting.
Finally, the Raiders appeared to find themselves a potential diamond in the rough in Sincere McCormick, who took the reins of the backfield late in the campaign before suffering a season-ending injury. McCormick was easily Las Vegas’ best running back all season.
While the Raiders should definitely give McCormick a look in 2025, they need more options than that. White can’t be depended on for any semblance of a role, and Mattison is set to hit free agency.
Knowing all that, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox thinks the Raiders are one of the “teams to watch” for Cleveland Browns pending free-agent running back, Nick Chubb.
Other teams should be interested, though. The Las Vegas Raiders need an established starter after ranking last in rushing and yards per carry in 2024. The Tennessee Titans may want more backfield talent next to Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears to help support a young quarterback—which Tennessee will, presumably, draft No. 1 overall.
From a contract standpoint, a short-term “prove-it” deal in the $4-5 million range would make sense.
Teams to Watch: Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans
Chubb was once considered one of the very best running backs in the NFL, which led to him landing a three-year, $36 million deal with the Browns a few years back.
But major injuries have derailed him recently. Chubb suffered a serious knee injury in 2023 and then a broken foot ended his 2024 campaign early. As a result, Chubb should come cheap, and on a short-term deal.
Chubb is an ideal option for a Raiders team that needs a veteran back. There won’t be any long-term commitment, and Chubb can act as the bridge to a younger back, whether that be McCormick or someone the Raiders draft in 2025.
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