In one of the more surprising moves, the Las Vegas Raiders opted not to retain last year’s backup running back, Devontae Booker.
The Raiders’ running game seemed to be off last year, this was due to a myriad of reasons. The offensive line being banged up all season certainly played a major role in that. For his part, Booker did his part as Josh Jacobs’ backup last year after spending his first four years in Denver. In fact, Booker arguably had his best individual season since his rookie campaign when he rushed for 612 yards back in 2016.
This past season, Booker had several memorable moments in what’s now his lone season in Silver and Black such as the 23 yard run down below. Despite only starting one game, Booker played in all 16 regular-season games and made the most of his touches.
Devontae Booker UNTOUCHED
23-yard TD âš¡ï¸
— PFF (@PFF) November 8, 2020
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The Raiders Lost Booker To The Giants…
Booker was at one point getting more than five touches per game after a slow start to the year. Indeed, he totaled 16 snaps in Weeks 10 and 13 and rushed for two touchdowns in Week 9 before that. Booker was certainly getting his share mid-season but after Week 13, Booker never came close to double-digit touches again. Moving on from the Raiders, Booker will look to lighten the load for another young star at running back, this time it’s the New York Giants’ Saquon Barkley.
It’ll be interesting to see if Booker’s departure will signal a running back getting drafted next month. There are a plethora of prospects that Las Vegas could consider so there’s that. Additionally, it would certainly be a cheaper option than spending money on a free-agent running back. As far as Booker’s concerned, we have no doubt that Raider Nation wishes him the best in New York City.
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*Top Photo: Chris Unger/Getty Images
