If you saw the last part of the 2023 season, it might not be a big shock to learn that the Raiders were ready to separate from running back Josh Jacobs, who was hurt for the final four games of the season after a mostly disappointing year. A year after leading the NFL in yards, Jacobs returned with only 805 yards rushing in 13 games, as the Raiders offense struggled for most of 2023.
Yet, even with coach Antonio Pierce consistently expressing his respect for Jacobs, it's still surprising that the team let him go. Pierce had promised to prioritize Jacobs and the running game. However, in those final four games, something else happened—second-year player Zamir White emerged, gaining 397 rushing yards from Weeks 15-18. Therefore, Jacobs is out and White is set to lead in 2024.
Still, White is a fourth-round pick who is still an unknown. The Raiders supported him by signing Vikings free agent Alexander Mattison, but they could still use another option to support White or even compete with him for the starting position. According to Pro Football Focus, they suggest a trade for Texans back Dameon Pierce.
Dameon Pierce's Struggles After Breakthrough With Texans
Dameon Pierce looked like a potential star when he was a rookie, rushing for a respectable 939 yards in 13 games, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. However, his 2022 season ended with an ankle injury that kept him out of the final four games.
Pierce scored four rushing touchdowns and gained 165 receiving yards from the backfield, along with another touchdown. The Texans seemed to intend to make him a significant part of the offense in 2023, but he lost carries to free-agent signing Devin Singletary.
Pierce is only 24 years old. He should still have plenty left in the tank.
But last season, he took a strange step back. Pierce only averaged 2.9 yards per carry and played just 32% of the team’s snaps. Despite this, due to his history of success and talent, he could be a prime option for teams that don’t get the running back they desire in the upcoming draft.
This is what Marcus Mosher wrote at PFF: “The Texans have since obtained Joe Mixon and given him a new contract. He will be their starter in 2024 and beyond, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the Texans draft a fast running back to complement him. …
“Fortunately for Pierce, this is a relatively weak running back class, and there could be several teams looking for a capable starter in the trade market. Teams in need of a starting-caliber running back may be interested in giving up a late Day 3 pick for Pierce, who best fits a gap scheme.”
Raiders Likely to Acquire a Running Back
The Raiders have several gaps to fill in the upcoming draft, and it might be a good idea for them to use a late-round pick to add depth to the RB room. However, Pierce may be a better option, as he runs aggressively and won the 2022 “Angry Run of the Year” award given by the Good Morning Football show on NFL Network.
The Athletic’s seven-round mock for the Raiders predicts that they will select Dillon Johnson from Washington in the seventh round, and Raiders.com’s seven-round mock draft predicts that the Raiders will choose Ray Davis from Kentucky in the fourth round.
Raiders Wire predicts that the team will select Rasheen Ali, former NCAA leader from Marshall, in the sixth round.
