HENDERSON, Nev. — Ashton Jeanty is determined to regain his top form for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2026, after a trying rookie season in 2025 left him 25 yards short of reaching 1,000 rushing yards.
Jeanty, the sixth-round draft selection in 2025, has taken the lessons from his first year in the league to heart. He hopes to produce a season that would make him one of the NFL's top running backs. When asked about his approach to the new season, Jeanty said, "When everything is not going well, continuing to go to work and having hope and faith. I think that'll carry into this year. Just taking it one week at a time, whether you win or you lose, you've got to attack the next game and the next week with the same mindset."
The Raiders have invested in their offensive line, signing three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum to a three-year, $81 million deal, with $60 million guaranteed. This is the richest contract ever for an interior offensive lineman. Jeanty, who averaged 1.6 yards per attempt before contact last season, is optimistic about having more running room this year.
First-year coach Klint Kubiak has given Jeanty his full support, saying, "He wants to be a major part of this team. We're going to give him that opportunity." Kubiak also expects Jeanty to be the bellcow back, despite the presence of fourth-round pick Mike Washington Jr. on the roster. Washington has had his moments in camp, and even got a carry with the starting offense on Sunday.
Jeanty is focusing on being a more outspoken leader, as suggested by offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko. He believes that this will help him take his game to another level and contribute to the team's success. "It's always tough being in the first year trying to figure out so much stuff," Jeanty said. "But this year, there's a lot of expectations for me and I think I've got to make a big jump. I think that starts with helping my teammates as well and just being a better teammate."
The Raiders are counting on Jeanty to do well this season, and he enters the season with a lot of focus on how he can take his game to another level. The team has made significant changes to their roster, including the signing of veteran kicker Matt Gay and rookie Kansei Matsuzawa, also known as "The Tokyo Toe." Gay hopes to return to his form in 2021 and 2022 when he made 94.1% and 93.3% of his field goals, respectively.
The competition between Gay and Matsuzawa is intense, with both kickers vying for the starting job. Matsuzawa is looking to make a big impact in his first season, saying, "I dreamed of playing in the NFL seven years ago, and then my dream come true. But there's a lot of things going on, and I want to do better. I want to be a great player. It's been amazing, but I feel like this is the first step of my new journey here."
Second-year wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. suffered an apparent injury during practice on Sunday. He was helped into the locker room late in practice, and his status for the upcoming season is uncertain.
Source: Yahoo Sports