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Rookie Mike Washington Jr. Forces Backfield Competition With Consecutive Preseason Explosions

Coaches say his big runs have earned him serious consideration for regular snaps even though he must clean up pass protection and route play.

Overview

  • Washington broke off a 33-yard run and finished with a game-high 56 yards on nine carries in Thursday’s 22-20 preseason win over the Texans, adding to a 53-yard burst in the opener that has turned heads.
  • Raiders coach Klint Kubiak and teammates praised Washington’s playmaking but stressed he must improve pass protection and receiving reliability before earning an expanded role.
  • A miscommunication with rookie QB Fernando Mendoza produced a first-quarter pick-six that highlighted Washington’s timing and route‑running issues in the passing game.
  • Las Vegas logged nine penalties for 83 yards in the game, a repeat of the prior week’s discipline problems that Kubiak said are his responsibility to fix.
  • The push from Washington updates the preseason depth-chart picture that favored Ashton Jeanty as the bellcow and could give the Raiders a fresh backup option in a run-focused offense built around new offensive-line additions.