Will Latavius Murray last as the Raiders starting running back?
When Latavius Murray was drafted by the Oakland Raiders, he was seen as a speed back to compliment an injury prone Darren Mcfadden. He had the body type and speed of Adrian Peterson and that in and of itself was enough to inspire positive emotion from Raider Nation. Fast forward 2 seasons and a rough post season showing, and we are now trying to name his successor. We learned that while his size mirrored the great Minnesota running back, his play seemed almost completely opposite. Murray, like Peterson, is a stand up type runner, meaning he runs with his pad level elevated and relies on his speed in the open field. Where the comparison ends with Murray’s YAC numbers.
Too often it seems that Murray is a one cut back and lacks the vision to make the most effective cut into open holes. He is too easily taken down by a single defender if his cutback doesn’t work. His midsection is exposed if he runs between the tackles, seemingly lacking the ability to break initial defender’s tackles. Murray is quickly falling into the category Mcfadden occupied during his tenure here as a back who too often attempts to rely on speed and not enough on vision and pad level. If Murray wants to keep his starting status past mid season, he will need to remedy these issues.
The reason we are able to contemplate a change in the running back slot is the emergence of two backs that have impressed during training camp and preseason. Deandre Washington, the Raiders 5th round pick out of Texas Tech has shown flashes of brilliance during the preseason. He shows the vision and pad level that Murray seems to lack. His pad level shouldn’t be an issue standing at 5’8 so in between the tackles he is able to be patient and hide behind offensive linemen until holes open up. He has the ability to make the first defender miss and challenge the defenders at the second level.
Washington has also shown himself to be sure handed out of the backfield, an issue the Raiders could not contend with last season. Where Roy Helu Jr was brought in last season to excel, and ultimately fail, Washington is showing promise in this all too important category. For the Red Raiders his senior year, Washington had 41 receptions for 385 yards and 2 touchdowns. For his collegiate career he finished with 124 catches and 1091 yards along with 4 touchdowns. His 9.4 yards per catch his senior year bodes well in translating to the NFL. Washington is my pick if Murray loses the starting spot this season.
Another back that has made a splash with the coaching staff has been UDFA Jalen Richard out of Southern Miss. Richard and Washington are almost mirror images of each other with Richard measuring in at 5’8, 207 lbs to Washington’s 5’8 and 204 lbs, respectively. They also mirror each other in skill set. Richard seems to slightly edge Washington in catching ability but, they have almost identical running styles. Richard is an adept pass catcher with 30 catches and 284 yards with 2 touchdowns his senior year. The two backs’ yards per catch stat is also pretty much identical with Richard at 9.5 for his senior year. Richard battled a slight knee injury during the preseason, leading him to sit the first two games. Against Tennessee in week 3 of the preseason, Richard had an electrifying opening return as he marched all the way to midfield where it was just him, the kicker and a defender who took a great angle to force Richard out of bounds. He showed his vision and decision making were already NFL caliber. Look for Richard to have an increased role in the final preseason game so coaches may see more of his skill set.
I figure Oakland will carry Murray, Washington and Richard on the roster and relegate George Atkinson III back to the practice team. Atkinson leads the team in yards after 3 preseason games, but his time was mostly against opposing teams 3rd string defense. Look for Atkinson to be featured alongside Richard in week 4. Then we have Taiwan jones. Jones had a bad case of fumble-itis during his early years with the team. He was then switched to corner before being brought back to the offense as injury plagued the running back core last year. In my opinion, the only chance Jones has to stay on the team is as a gunner on special teams where he ranks among the most effective in the NFL.
The backfield in Oakland has become crowded. With the backups showing up strong during games, it is easy to ask oneself if Murray deserves the start. At this junction there isn’t enough evidence to unseat Murray as the starting back. Washington will cut in severely to Murray’s carries this season with Richard most likely in the return game. Richard will also factor into the run game on short yardage, cutting into Murray’s touchdown numbers. I do believe Murray will take the lion’s share of carries early in the season until coaches can evaluate Washington and Richard during games that matter. Past mid season, I can see one of the two rookies snatching the rushing attempts majority from Murray if he continues to underwhelm.
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