The Las Vegas Raiders couldn’t get out of their way in 2024, finishing 4-13 and securing the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Head Coach Antonio Pierce and General Manager Tom Telesco were fired shortly after the season ended and veteran coach Pete Carroll was brought in to right the ship.
The Raiders’ running game was a major area of concern in 2024, and PFSN has an exciting trade option to kickstart Carroll’s new look rushing attack.
Raiders Could Reunite Pete Carroll With Seattle Running Back
Saying the Raiders struggled on the ground in 2024 is an understatement, they were atrocious. The team gained 1,357 yards for the season, the lowest total in the league last year. Alexander Mattison led the way with 420 yards and four touchdowns behind an abysmal offensive line.
Las Vegas has many offensive needs to fill in the 2025 NFL Draft, but is in a tough spot picking at No. 6. Without moving up the team will likely miss out on one of the top quarterbacks and could invest in the offensive line, so where will the Raiders get help for the running back room?
PFSN’s Sterling Xie recently wrote about one trade each team should make this offseason and suggests Las Vegas should trade for Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet.
Xie wrote, “While the Las Vegas Raiders were in on the Matthew Stafford sweepstakes, the franchise is more than a quarterback away from contention. Specifically, the rushing offense was also the worst in the NFL in 2024. The Raiders ranked last in yards per rush (3.6) and EPA per rush (-0.22), as well as 31st rushing success rate (31.8%) ahead of only the Texans.”
Mattison led the way with Ameer Adbullah as the next leading rusher at just 311 yards and two touchdowns. Zamir White did not take a step forward in 2024, regressing to 183 yards and one score in just eight games. Five running backs out gained the Raiders by themselves last season and Xie wrote about how Charbonnet would change that.
“Some of that has to do with the offensive line, but the Raiders also ranked 31st in yards after contact per rush. Zach Charbonnet excelled in that category and is tied to the Raiders’ new leadership. In 2024, Charbonnet averaged 3.4 yards after contact per rush, the 10th-best in the league.
“New offensive coordinator Chip Kelly was Charbonnet’s head coach at UCLA during the running back’s two seasons in 2021 and 2022. In addition, new head coach Pete Carroll was part of the Seahawks regime that drafted Charbonnet in 2023 and coached the back during his rookie season.
“With the Seahawks praising Kenneth Walker III ahead of his contract year, Seattle can choose between Walker and Charbonnet moving forward. Charbonnet would make a strong trade candidate to become the clear lead back somewhere else if they choose the former.
“He might cost a fourth or fifth, given that he still has two more years on his rookie deal, but the Raiders could use the talent infusion in the backfield.”
Charbonnet played in all 17 games last season rushing for 569 yards and eight touchdowns. He added 42 receptions, 340 yards, and another score through the air, but was the second option behind Walker. Despite missing six games, Walker outcarried Charbonnet 153 to 135, and saw one more target (53 to 52).
A reunion with Carroll and Kelly makes sense for Charbonnet as Seattle wants Walker to be the lead back. A mid-round pick is not expensive for a young back who has proven he can carry the load, but Las Vegas will need to invest in its offensive line to give any running back a fighting chance in 2025.