HENDERSON, Nev. -- Running back Raheem Mostert's final season with the Miami Dolphins didn't meet his standards.
Between injuries and watching De'Von Achane become the Dolphins' featured running back, Mostert failed to build off an impressive 2023 campaign when he totaled a career-high 1,012 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns.
But despite a decline in production -- 85 carries, 278 yards and two touchdowns -- the 32-year-old running back believes he has more to give. And so do the Raiders, who signed him to a one-year deal earlier this month.
"Just getting back into that form," Mostert said, who is on his sixth team in his 11-year NFL career. "I'm already feeling good coming into this offseason, and I'm just super excited to showcase my work ethic and everything that I've done and worked up to thus far."
Mostert is a solid addition for Las Vegas, providing much-needed experience and veteran leadership to the running back room. And if Mostert returns to the player he was two seasons ago, or even half of that, it would benefit the offense.
Still, Mostert is not the final answer for improving the league's worst rushing attack (79.8 rushing yards per game) from 2024. Las Vegas only had one player rush for at least 100 yards in a game -- Ameer Abdullah, who is an unrestricted free agent.
Despite the Raiders' struggles running the ball, coach Pete Carroll expects the ground game to play a major factor in the offense under coordinator Chip Kelly. During Carroll's 13-year tenure with the Seattle Seahawks, they finished within the top five in rushing yards in six seasons and were ranked first twice.
Kelly, on the other hand, led an Ohio State offense that averaged 166.4 rushing yards per game and finished 19th in the nation in carries (534) last season. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles ranked within the top 10 in rushing yards and attempts in two of the three seasons with Kelly as the head coach from 2013 to 2015.
"You have to be able to run the football so that you can control your aspect of the game and take care of the ball so that the quarterback isn't under duress," Carroll said at the combine last month. "We try to build a team around the quarterback position."
General manager John Spytek expressed similar sentiments towards the running game, citing Philadelphia's Super Bowl run as an example of what could happen when a team can move the ball on the ground.
"It's a really critical position. I mean, you saw what the Eagles did this year, right?" Spytek said. "Saquon [Barkley] is a different animal, but the emphasis is on the run game and the physicality that comes with it."
If the Raiders want to take the pressure off new quarterback Geno Smith, they must continue to upgrade their run game. Outside of Mostert, the Raiders' running back rotation consists of Zamir White, Sincere McCormick, Chris Collier and Dylan Laube.
White and McCormick finished with 183 yards apiece last season while combining to play 13 games due to injury.
A healthy Mostert will help improve Las Vegas' rushing numbers. However, he should be the second option in the running back rotation. Las Vegas lacks a top running back, similar to how they are still missing a true No. 1 wide receiver. But with the 2025 draft class being deep at running back, the Raiders could find their RB1 in April, in the first round or later.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. had Las Vegas taking Boise State's Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 pick in his latest mock draft. Spytek was even in attendance at Boise State's pro day Wednesday and wants a running back with good vision, instincts and is tough to bring down. Jeanty checks all those boxes.
In addition to Jeanty rushing for 2,601 yards, the second-most in a single season in FBS history, he also had 88 broken tackles, 63 carries for at least 10 yards, 106 attempts resulting in a first down and 1,733 yards after first contact.
Last year, the Raiders finished last in rushing attempts for a first down (78) and 30th in yards after first contact (634).
"It's more about the guys that have great instincts, great vision [and] are hard to get on the ground," Spytek said at the combine. "If they can run 4.3s, even better, but I've seen a lot of great ones that run the 4.5s and 4.6s that are just hard to tackle and set the tone for the team. So we're looking for that."
If the Raiders took Jeanty in the first round, he would be the sixth running back since 2016 to be drafted within the top eight picks. Bijan Robinson was the last running back to be drafted in that spot when the Atlanta Falcons drafted with the No. 8 pick in 2023.
The Raiders also have other needs to address. Las Vegas could take Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham or Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou to improve its trenches and then take someone like Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson in the second round.
Henderson rushed for at least 1,000 yards twice in four seasons with the Buckeyes. He is also a quality receiver and pass blocker.
The Raiders want a rushing attack that complements Smith and the draft will be crucial in accomplishing that goal.
"We need to do everything we can to facilitate and make it as easy as possible for [the quarterback]. So that's why the running game is so fundamental to it," Carroll said.