The Las Vegas Raiders offense has been among the worst in the NFL this season and much of that is due to their 31st-ranked rushing offense. The team hasn’t been consistent on the ground with Zamir White hurt and not playing well when he’s on the field.
Much of the rushing struggles have been due to inconsistent offensive line and quarterback play but the running backs haven’t been helping. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes there could be a trade that lands the Raiders a running back with upside. He pitched the team sending offensive lineman Andrus Peat to the New Orleans Saints for running back Kendre Miller.
“The Raiders signed Peat to a one-year deal this offseason, but he has played just 32 snaps,” Barnwell wrote in an October 17 column. “Having his versatility in reserve can be valuable, but Las Vegas could swap him for a younger player with some upside in Miller. The second-year back missed half of his rookie season with an ankle injury, but he ran for 73 yards in the season finale. He then appeared to get into coach Dennis Allen’s doghouse after suffering a hamstring injury on the opening day of training camp.
“Miller is set to return from injured reserve after missing every game with that hamstring issue, but he already seems to have worn out his welcome in New Orleans. As a third-round pick who ran for 1,399 yards in his final season with TCU, he seemed to offer something as a power back with explosion and acceleration. The Raiders don’t seem committed to Zamir White, and rookie Dylan Laube fumbled in a key spot against the Steelers last Sunday. Bringing in Miller as part of the competition at running back could land Vegas a more significant player for their future.”
This Trade Could Make Sense for Raiders
This would be a low-risk, high-reward trade for the Raiders to make. Peat has played in all six games for the team this season but he’s only taken 9% of the offensive snaps. He’s merely a depth player right now.
Plus, Peat used to play for the Saints where he made three Pro Bowls. He’s not the same player that he used to be but he could be far more valuable to New Orleans. Miller hasn’t done much at the NFL level yet as he’s been injury prone but he was a star in college. The Saints already have a star running back in Alvin Kamara who eats up most of the snaps. Perhaps giving Miller a chance to be a lead back could be the key to unlocking his potential.
Raiders Need to Fix the Running Game
The only way the Raiders offense was going to be successful this season is if the running game was top-notch. The team doesn’t have the talent at quarterback to be a great passing offense. There isn’t much of an avenue for the team to be great in the passing game with Davante Adams getting traded, but there’s still a chance the running game can turn things around.
The problem for the Raiders is they have a bunch of No. 2 or No. 3 running backs. Nobody has proven they can be the lead guy. That’s why the team should strongly consider swinging a trade for a running back.
