There was a lot of excitement surrounding Zamir White this time last summer. He was entering the 2024 NFL campaign as the Las Vegas Raiders' unquestioned workhorse running back, facing minimal competition for touches. This offseason, the team could be prepared to move on from him, for reasons both in and out of his control.
White's descent from starter to roster hopeful in a year speaks to how fast life can come at you, especially in #ThisLeague. But the Raiders gave him a shot, and he was one of the worst and most inefficient tailbacks in football. Nonetheless, the rising fourth-year pro will be competing for scraps in Las Vegas with generational prospect Ashton Jeanty and veteran Raheem Mostert in town.
Most clubs keep three backs on the 53-man roster. And frankly, based on what we've seen from White, it's hard to even envision him winning a battle for third-string duties. So, unless he can carve out a role on special teams, his time with the Raiders might be nearing the end.
Raiders RB Zamir White is a clear cut candidate entering training camp
Jeanty is a legitimate three-down option, but new head coach Pete Carroll has said the Raiders won't "[rely] on one guy." With that in mind, they signed Mostert to a one-year deal, which is a blatant lack of faith in White as a serviceable backup. Then, there's Sincere McCormick, an undrafted free agent who became Las Vegas' most effective runner last season before getting shut down with an ankle injury.
McCormick tallied the exact amount of rushing yards as White last season (183) on nearly half as many carries. Meanwhile, the former doubled the latter's success rate on the ground while recording six more first downs. In other words, despite the volume discrepancy, the player seeing less work was the objectively superior option.
Rolling with McCormick as the RB3 is a rather easy choice, one the Raiders' new brain trust seemingly already made. Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic reported that Las Vegas reportedly made White "available" in February ($). The intel suggests the organization has been ready to move on for several months.
A holdover from the previous regime, White ostensibly isn't part of Carroll or first-year general manager John Spytek's plans, and reasonably so. They have better alternatives, headlined by Jeanty but not limited to McCormick. The 2022 fourth-round pick is a two-down plodder, getting stuffed on 16.9 percent of his rushes while ranking fifth in run blocking rating last season.