Dylan Laube is earning Klint Kubiak’s trust, but the Las Vegas Raiders’ struggling run game raises a bigger question: Is it time for the young back to get more opportunities?
Kubiak said Monday that Laube has been “a really good protection back” and “an ascending player.” He described Laube as a reliable option on third down, in passing situations and on special teams.
Asked how Laube worked his way into a bigger role, Kubiak pointed to his dependability in pass protection. That gets him on the field on third down and in passing situations. He also credited Laube’s work on special teams.
Kubiak was also asked about a fourth-quarter sequence in Sunday’s 45-17 loss at New England. Running back Mike Washington Jr. was on the field when the Patriots called a timeout. Laube then entered and scored a 2-yard touchdown run with 10:54 left. It was one of only two Raiders touchdowns on the day. A reporter noted that Kubiak had said Sunday he wanted No. 23 to get more opportunities. Kubiak explained that it was a play the Raiders had practiced with Laube. He wanted “the guys that got the practice rep.”
The backfield is a pressure point for Las Vegas…
The Raiders ran 18 times for 38 yards Sunday, a 2.1-yard average, and rank among the bottom five in rushing at 82 yards per game. Ashton Jeanty’s ankle injury has thinned the depth chart, which gives Laube and Washington more weight in the rotation. Protection matters, too. The Raiders allowed three sacks and were outgained 536 yards to 306.
Related: Klint Kubiak rallies the team after an abysmal East Coast trip
The cap picture adds context. Las Vegas opened the offseason with the most cap space in the NFL and committed big money to players such as Kwity Paye and Tyler Linderbaum, yet little of that has shown up in the running game or the pass rush. Laube is not one of those big-ticket additions, which makes a dependable role player easier to value.
Expect Laube to keep his third-down snaps when Las Vegas hosts Buffalo at 1:25 p.m. PDT Sunday, with short yardage and goal-line work the likeliest place for his role to grow.
Should Laube get more carries while the running game struggles, or is his best value in protection?
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images