Mike Washington Jr. kept building his case for a larger role on Thursday, rushing for a game-high 56 yards on nine carries in the Las Vegas Raiders' 22-20 comeback victory over the Texans at Reliant Stadium in Houston.
The rookie running back has been showing up throughout camp, and this was another example of the same trend. He opened his preseason with a 53-yard run, then followed that up on Tuesday with strong work against the Texans dominant first-team defense in a joint practice. Against Houston on Thursday, he added another big play with a 33-yard run while the Raiders rested most of their starters.
Washington is making his case
After the game, Washington downplayed the growing attention around him. He said he has been focused on the present, being where his feet are, and not paying attention to what the media is saying. He also said he is taking things play by play and day by day, trying to do everything he can to get on the field and help the team win.
That approach fits the early read from Klint Kubiak, who said Washington is headed toward carving out a role. Kubiak also made clear that the rookie still needs improvement in all facets of his game, and that the Raiders are still gathering information as they sort out the backfield behind Ashton Jeanty.
What still needs work
The praise has come with a warning label. Kubiak said Washington has plenty he needs to improve on, and that the team is very concerned about cleaning up details after two weeks in a row with issues. He pointed to special teams in particular, saying five of the penalties were on special teams and adding, “That’s on me as a coach.”
There is also more to the job than running the ball. Aidan O’Connell said it has been great to see Washington develop in both the pass game and the run game, while also noting that rookie running backs have to handle protections, the pass game and the run game. O’Connell said Washington’s growth and maturity in that space has been awesome.
Kubiak echoed that balanced view, calling Washington a very talented young man with a bright future ahead of him who is extremely humble and hard-working. He added that if Washington keeps that mindset, he will keep getting better.
For now, the direction is clear. Washington has made plays nearly every day in training camp, and his preseason production is putting him in position to earn more work once the regular season begins. The Raiders do not need to decide everything yet, but Washington is giving them a reason to think the backup RB spot could matter more than expected.
