Klint Kubiak stays guarded about Ashton Jeanty’s injury while offering plenty of praise for Mike Washington’s impressive Las Vegas Raiders camp.
Kubiak declined to detail Ashton Jeanty’s injury status at Tuesday’s press conference, offering only a general update. Asked directly for news on the rookie running back, Kubiak said, “Yeah, I’m not going to get into the injuries. He’s on the mend.” Pressed further on whether the team is considering opening the season with Jeanty on injured reserve, Kubiak repeated the same line: “Not going to talk about injuries. He’s on the mend.”
With Jeanty’s timeline uncertain, Kubiak turned his attention to the depth behind him—specifically undrafted rookie Mike Washington Jr., who Kubiak said has “had a good camp,” while cautioning that Thursday’s preseason action will be the real test. Kubiak also name-checked the rest of the room: Dylan Laube, Roman Hemby, and Dare Ogunbowale, crediting running backs coach Omar Young for “doing a great job coaching those guys and getting them ready.”
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On Washington specifically, Kubiak was more effusive, saying he’s “done a phenomenal job of growing up really fast,” pointing to the jump from college to an NFL playbook full of new protections, fronts, blitzes, and routes. “I think that he’s a guy that understands that we are counting on him, and he needs to get up to speed quickly,” Kubiak added. “And he’s been mature about that, and he’s going to keep working.”
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For the Raiders, the situation matters well beyond one practice report. Jeanty was the centerpiece of the offense as a first-round investment, and any real IR stint would immediately reshape both the depth chart and the offensive game plan heading into Week 1. That puts real pressure on a running back room that’s otherwise thin on proven NFL production—Laube and Hemby have limited game reps, and Ogunbowale is more of a veteran complementary piece than a workhorse.
Washington Jr., despite going undrafted, appears to be climbing that depth chart fastest, and how he performs Thursday could determine whether the Raiders feel comfortable rolling with him and opting not to sign anyone, like say, Kareem Hunt.
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