The Raiders didn’t hire Klint Kubiak just to tinker around the edges. They brought him in to help drag an offense that sat at the bottom of the league in 2025 into something far more efficient and productive in 2026.
That overhaul starts where it has to start: on the ground. Las Vegas had the worst rushing offense in football last season, and fixing that is a central part of the plan. Kubiak will be the face of the offensive reset, with offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko also playing a major role in helping the run game get on track.
The front office has already gone to work. The Raiders signed center Tyler Linderbaum, along with Spencer Burford at left guard and rookie Trey Zuhn III, all moves aimed at giving the offense more stability up front. That means better protection for whoever wins the quarterback job and, just as importantly, actual running lanes for the backfield.
That’s where Ashton Jeanty comes in.
The former first-round pick was taken sixth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, and the Raiders are counting on him to become a foundational piece as the rebuild continues. His rookie season was uneven: 226 carries, 975 rushing yards, and fewer than four yards per attempt. Still, he finished with more than 1,300 total yards and 10 touchdowns, including five receiving scores.
The production wasn’t empty, either. Jeanty showed the same traits that made him such a coveted prospect out of Boise State.
The problem was that he rarely had much room to work with, thanks to an offensive line that struggled to hold up. Jeanty also didn’t always help himself with his decision-making, but the margins were tight from the start.
Even so, the talent is obvious. Jeanty brings elite vision, balance, power, footwork, explosiveness, and the kind of three-down ability teams dream about at running back. If the line improves the way the Raiders expect, and if Kubiak and Janocko can get the run game moving, Jeanty has a real chance to explode.
That matters for the whole offense. Las Vegas needs enough production on the ground to take pressure off Kirk Cousins or rookie Fernando Mendoza, and it also can’t keep asking Brock Bowers to carry the whole operation as Mr. Everything.
If Jeanty can turn in a 1,300-yard rushing season and finish with well over 1,500 yards from scrimmage, the Raiders believe that could be worth at least another win. The first look at that possibility comes next week when training camp opens.
In Other News...
Jon Gruden Is Back On The Mic In A Familiar Reunion
Jon Gruden is heading back into a familiar football setting this month, and this time it will be from the broadcast booth. The former Raiders coach will join Ronde Barber on the call for the Buccaneers preseason game against the Chiefs on Aug. 22, bringing together two central figures from Tampa Bays first Super Bowl championship in a role that keeps Gruden close to the game without putting him back on the sideline.
For Tampa Bay, the assignment fits into a broader reconciliation with one of the most recognizable names in franchise history. The Buccaneers have already reinstated Gruden to their Ring of Honor and made the broadcast move public, giving this reunion a ceremonial feel as much as a football one. It also gives Gruden another chance to work in a setting he has shown interest in, with the booth offering a different kind of test than the one he spent years preparing for on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fans Should Be Worried About Dont'e Thornton Jr. Right Now
Dont'e Thornton Jr. entered the league with the kind of traits teams dream on, and the Raiders took the swing in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft because of his size and speed. The problem is that the promise never quite turned into steady production as a rookie, even after Las Vegas brought in Tyler Lockett mid-season to help the passing game. Thornton finished with 10 catches for 135 yards and 253 passing snaps, a line that leaves plenty of room for optimism but not much proof yet.
Now the pressure is only getting heavier. The Raiders have added more wide receivers this offseason, which means Thornton is no longer just trying to turn flashes into consistency, he is trying to keep himself in the mix at all. For a player whose appeal has always been tied to upside, this is the part of the career arc where the little things start to matter, and where every practice rep can shape how the team views him going forward. [Read more 🡒]