The running back position has been one to watch for the Las Vegas Raiders during training camp. With All-Pro Josh Jacobs still not with the team after refusing to sign his franchise tender, the Raiders recently worked out a pair of veterans in Rex Burkhead and Damien Williams.
With Jacobs out the Raiders recently listed second-year back Zamir White at the top of the depth chart with veterans Ameer Abdullah and Brandon Bolden after him. While talented, White has just 17 carries under his belt at the NFL level and the Raiders apparently felt the need for some more depth behind him.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Raiders have agreed to a deal with former Chiefs running back Damien Williams:
Raiders are signing former Chiefs’ RB Damien Williams, per his agent @iangreengross.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 11, 2023
Williams is definitely a solid addition for the Raiders and he has had success on the biggest of stages. Most notable was his 2019 season with the Kansas City Chiefs in which he totaled 711 yards from scrimmage and seven total touchdowns.
But in the playoffs that year he went to another level as he totaled 196 rushing yards in three games while adding another 11 receptions and six total touchdowns as the Chiefs would go on to win the Super Bowl. And in the game itself Williams would rush for 104 yards and a touchdown while adding a second through the air.
Williams has struggled to regain that form since, however. He opted out of the 2020 season due to Covid-19 and played just one game with the Atlanta Falcons last year due to a rib injury in Week 1 that saw him placed on injured reserve. He could have a great opportunity with the Raiders however.
The Raiders have all the necessary weapons in the pass game with DaVante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, Jakobi Meyers and tight ends Michael Mayer and Austin Hooper. But the offense needs to have a reliable run game for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to really operate at his best. White has the potential, but Williams is a solid insurance option if he were to struggle.
This Raiders team has the potential to make a run to the postseason if everything were to go right, but not having Jacobs on the field makes things much more difficult. The franchise clearly understands the importance of the run game to the success of this team and thus are looking to have their bases covered if Jacobs isn’t in uniform.
