The Las Vegas Raiders were dealt a major scare during practice on Sunday. Luckily for them, though, it appears that’s all it was.
Running back Ashton Jeanty is believed to have an ankle sprain after departing practice early on Sunday, ESPN reported. It’s reportedly unclear how long he’ll be out for, but the injury isn’t expected to keep Jeanty sidelined for long.
Jeanty’s departure from practice led to a lot of concern out of Raiders camp. He suffered the apparent injury after diving for a catch and colliding with cornerback Darien Porter. After he was down on the ground for a moment, Jeanty needed to be helped off the field and couldn’t put any weight on his right leg. The team also took a knee in prayer.
The Raiders didn’t offer an immediate statement on Jeanty’s injury status.
First-year head coach Klint Kubiak is expected to make Jeanty the centerpiece of the offense this season alongside tight end Brock Bowers. They also added depth by drafting Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. in the fourth round to add more versatility.
Jeanty and Washington Jr. were expected to form a potential 1-2 punch for the offense, although Jeanty likely would’ve received the majority of the touches out of the backfield. Kubiak previously deployed one of the league’s top running back duos with the Seattle Seahawks last season that featured Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet.
Jeanty struggled for good portions of his rookie season after the Raiders took him with the sixth overall pick. He rushed for 975 yards and only five touchdowns while averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, which ranked 45th in the league.
The Raiders’ Week 1 matchup against the Miami Dolphins is three weeks from Sunday.
