The Raiders didn’t pick until late on Day 2 in the 2022 NFL Draft, but they are expecting to get a lot out of their Year 2 rookies. Dylan Parham is expected to start at guard and the Raiders are hopeful that Zamir White will have a much bigger role in 2023.
White has been the subject of a lot of offseason buzz, especially given the contract situation of Josh Jacobs. But the belief is that White is ready to have a breakout season this year.
In a recent article by Tashan Reed of The Athletic, he wrote about White’s development heading into Year 2 and why he believes he could see an increased role in the offense this season. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on the former running back from Georgia:
White has displayed growth in his knowledge of the system, pass protection ability, overall awareness and ball carrier vision. Jacobs didn’t participate in the offseason program and has yet to sign his franchise tag. He and the Raiders have until July 17 to agree on a multiyear extension. Even if a resolution is reached, though, the Raiders may call on White to balance out the workload a bit more in 2023.
White dropped weight this offseason to be even more explosive and that is exactly what the Raiders need to pair with Jacobs. As Reed mentioned, the Raiders should be open to the idea of playing White more to give Jacobs a rest during games.
If White can make the Year 2 leap that everyone is expecting, the Raiders could have one of the best backfields in the league again this season. All of the hype is trending in the right direction. Now, it just needs to translate to the field.
