Raiders 2025: Ground & Pound

Pete Carroll wants his team to be able to run the ball, but do they have the horses?

Running the ball effectively and a sound defense.

Two things Pete Carroll noted in what to expect from his Las Vegas Raiders.

What the Silver & Black’s new head coach wants isn’t new or revolutionary. In fact, his predecessor, Antonio Pierce, wanted much of the same. But the neophyte head honcho couldn’t install a much-needed identity and was one and done as a full-time lead man.

Now, Carroll enters the fray.

With him comes a reputation for culture setter and identity instiller. And we saw a resounding slash in that regard when Carroll and the Raiders landed Chip Kelly to lead the offense. The Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator is taking that same position in Las Vegas.

Joining Kelly on the offensive side of things is Carroll’s son Brennan Carroll, who will coach the offensive line.

Carroll’s intent to run the ball melds perfectly with Kelly’s offensive philosophy. If there’s a play caller that loves to ground and pound as much as Carroll, it’s Kelly.

During Kelly’s four-year stint in the NFL — three as the Philadelphia Eagles head coach and play caller, one with the San Francisco 49ers in the same capacities — Kelly’s offenses were in the Top 10 in rushing attempts and yards gained in all but one year — 2015 in Philadelphia. His highest ranking was his first year as Eagles boss in 2013 (fourth in attempts, first in yards, and second in touchdowns).

Most recently, Kelly orchestrated Ohio State’s offense that finished 18th in the nation in rushing yards (2,662).

Before that, he was UCLA’s head coach and chief play caller from 2018 to 2023. His highwater mark was leading the Bruins to the sixth ranking in the nation with 3,097 rushing yards in 2022.

Kelly’s arrival in Las Vegas comes at an opportune time as he and Brennan Carroll take charge of a Raiders team that finished dead last (32nd) in rushing yards (1,357) and 30th in rushing attempts (380).

The well-compensated Kelly is going to roll up his sleeves and get to work installing his philosophy and scheme this offseason. And fortunately for Kelly, there’s nowhere to go but up. The Raiders finished 29th in points scored (309) and 27th in yards gained (5,154) in a trying 4-13 campaign that resulted in another regime reset.

But the key question for Kelly, Pete Carroll, and general manager John Spytek — when it comes to the ground game — do they have the horses to run that kind of race?

The optimist wills say perhaps. The pessimist a resounding hell no.

Take a look:

Running backs under contract for 2025

• Zamir White: $1.285-plus million cap number
• Isaiah Spiller: 1.03 million cap number
• Dylan Laube: $998,798 cap number
• Sincere McCormick: $960,000 cap number
• Chris Collier: $960,000 cap number
• Tyreik McAllister (hybrid WR/RB): $960,000 cap number

Of that group, White and McCormick produced 183 rushing yards, respectively. McCormick’s output was more impressive considering he did so on 39 carries and gained 10 first downs. White, meanwhile, trudged along with 65 attempts and a meager four first down carries.

Laube was a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft but couldn’t shake fumble-itis and registered exactly one carry for zero yards and coughed up the ball on the lone tote.

Collier was a late add that got five carries (for 12 yards) while McAllister is a tailback/receiver hybrid who had two carries for 11 yards. Spiller, meanwhile, was a former GM Tom Telesco pickup as he drafted the tailback with the Los Angeles Chargers in the fourth round of the 2022 draft.

Missing from that list above are 2024 leading rusher Alexander Mattison (132 carries, 420 yards, four touchdowns) and veteran Ameer Abdullah (66 carries, 311 yards, and two touchdowns). Both are unrestricted free agents.

All the tailbacks currently under contract have expiring deals at the end of the 2025 campaign and it’ll be interesting to see if McCormick gets a serious run this offseason or White can rebound from a face plant of a 2024 season.

As Las Vegas builds its roster, there will be options in free agency and the 2025 draft at the tailback position.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Najee Harris is slated to be the prize of the position group on the open market as the 26-year-old gained 1,043 yards on 263 carries with six touchdowns and offers solid size at 6-foot-1 and 242 pounds.

Or, Las Vegas can eye a prospect in the draft, such as a pair of running backs Kelly is all too familiar with in Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson (144 carries, 1,016 yards, 10 touchdowns this past year) or Quinshon Judkins (194 carries, 1,060 yards, 14 touchdowns).

Suffice it to say, but the makeup of the running back room is going to be adjusted as Carroll, Spytek, et al embark on a crucial first offseason.