Ashton Jeanty’s ankle injury looked frightening in the moment, but the Raiders rookie says the response around him helped calm everything down fast.
During practice on August 23, Jeanty went down with what appeared to be a serious leg injury. Reports from the field said the whole team kneeled and prayed for him while training staff checked on him.
Jeanty spoke this week with Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter about that moment and said the reaction from his coaches and teammates told him everything he needed to know.
“It meant a lot, of course,” Jeanty said of his coaches and teammates taking a knee and praying for him.
“You know, Kubiak leading that, really being firm in his faith and getting everybody to get down and say a prayer. But also as a team just growing together in our faith.
I think it’s a great thing to be able to share that with each other and the power of prayer is amazing. So in that moment, hearing that, seeing that, I already knew I was going to be good because God’s got me.”
The Raiders have dealt with injuries over the past few weeks, so Jeanty’s situation could easily have been worse. Instead, he came away feeling reassured by what happened on the field.
How the backfield shakes out from here is still something to watch. The Raiders may lean on a timeshare, and training camp plus preseason indications point to Mike Washington Jr. handling part of the workload alongside Jeanty this season.
Kubiak has sent mixed messages about how he wants to use the backfield, but the overall sense is that he prefers the two-back setup he has favored for years.
In Other News...
Raiders Face An Early Brock Bowers Problem They Can't Ignore
Brock Bowers wont be available when the Raiders open the season against the Dolphins, and that puts an immediate spotlight on how Las Vegas plans to move forward without one of its most important young playmakers. Head coach Klint Kubiak confirmed the tight end has been ruled out after undergoing a meniscus trim surgery on his knee, a development that leaves the team to adjust its Week 1 plans before the games even start.
The bigger concern for the Raiders is that no specific return timeline has been set, which makes Bowers absence feel less like a short detour and more like the start of a cautious waiting game. Given the teams awareness of his previous knee issues, this is clearly a situation Las Vegas is handling carefully, but it also means the offense has to be ready for an early stretch without the player it was built to feature. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Week 1 Inactives Include One Surprise Fans Didnt See Coming
The Raiders first game of the season brought one notable wrinkle before kickoff, as the clubs Week 1 inactive list against the Dolphins included linebacker Cody Lindenberg. Las Vegas also ruled out quarterback Aidan OConnell, who is serving as the emergency third quarterback, along with tight end Brock Bowers, safety Dalton Johnson, defensive tackle JJ Pegues, cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. and interior offensive lineman Bryce Cabeldue.
For a team sorting through roster decisions and health questions in the opening week, the inactive list offered an early look at how the Raiders want to shape the sideline mix against Miami. Some of the names were expected because of injury or recent acquisition status, but Lindenbergs designation stood out as the one fans probably did not have circled when the day began. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Face One Big Maxx Crosby Question Before The Deadline
The trade chatter around Maxx Crosby has only grown louder as the November 10 deadline nears, and it all starts with how close the Raiders came to dealing their star edge rusher in the first place. The Ravens backed out of a trade agreement after Crosby failed a physical, which instantly reset the market and sent other contenders back to the table. The Rams were among the most aggressive teams to circle back, but Crosby made it clear he wants to stay in Las Vegas.
Even with that stance, the phone lines are not likely to go quiet. The Eagles, Cowboys and 49ers have all shown interest, and Dallas has emerged as the club that could make the strongest push if it decides to act before the deadline. For the Raiders, the question is no longer whether Crosby has value. It is how long they can hold onto one of the leagues most coveted pass rushers while the rest of the market keeps probing. [Read more 🡒]