Raiders’ training camp preview: Is White ready to take over at RB?
As the Raiders prepare to open training camp in Costa Mesa, California, on July 23, the Review-Journal is taking a position-by-position look at the Raiders’ roster leading up to report day.
We continue our series with the running back room, where the organization decided to move on from one of the faces of the franchise in Josh Jacobs this offseason.
Here is a look at the Raiders’ running backs:
In the mix
Zamir White, Alexander Mattison, Ameer Abdullah, Dylan Laube, Sincere McCormick and Brittain Brown
2023 performance
White: He ran for 451 yards on 104 carries and scored a touchdown as Jacobs’ primary backup last year while adding 15 catches for 98 yards. White did start four games when Jacobs was injured late in the season.
Mattison: He had 700 rushing yards on 180 carries his final season with the Vikings. He also caught 30 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns.
Abdullah: He had 15 carries for 89 yards last season and added 19 catches for 131 yards. Abdullah was also one of the Raiders’ core special-teams players.
Laube: He was picked in the sixth round of April’s draft after an FCS All-American campaign at New Hampshire.
McCormick: He spent last year on the practice squad after he was on injured reserve for the 2022 season.
Brown: The 2022 seventh-round pick spent last season on injured reserve.
Potential camp battles
The starting job is White’s to lose. Mattison should also have a significant role, but the Raiders could face some interesting decisions lower on the depth chart.
Abdullah brings a lot to the table in terms of experience and leadership. He’s valuable on third downs as well. Is that enough to hold off a talented group of youngsters for a roster spot? The answer is likely yes but will be determined in camp.
Laube is dynamic and could help on special teams. Brown and McCormick are talented but haven’t spent much time on the field.
Breakout candidate
White.
The talent is there and he showed the potential to be a high-level starter during his four-game audition last year. He’ll have the opportunity to take another step with Jacobs no longer ahead of him on the depth chart.
Area of concern
Also White.
It’s one thing to be successful as a change-of-pace back and spot starter. It’s another to be consistently productive game after game when defenses start to adjust.
White handled the starting role just fine for four games last season, recording 397 rushing yards on 84 carries in that span. There are still questions as to how he’ll handle his duties in the passing game, but the Raiders’ other running backs are sound in that area.
What they’re saying
“I think it’s a really cool group. I think you have guys with kind of different backgrounds, different styles. … They work hard. They work together. They’re competitive with each other. And then like I said, there is explosiveness in the group, there’s pass-catching in the group, there’s toughness in the group. So, there’s a really cool blend of guys in that room.” — Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy
Best-case scenario
White thrives in an increased role. The rest of the group provides solid depth while contributing on special teams.
Worst-case scenario
The added workload is too much for White to handle and no one else is able to pick up the slack.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
