Last week Jones made his first preseason appearance after struggling with a hamstring injury throughout training camp. He did not disappoint. Against the Saints, Jones led the Raiders with 81 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, and he added 18 yards on two receptions. He also had a long gain on a screen pass called back for a penalty.
That performance has experts drooling, as Jones looked as explosive as advertised. The fourth-round pick out of Eastern Washington has enticing ability and could have moved himself into the Raiders' backup role behind Darren McFadden.
Jones will likely get a lot of time in Friday night's preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks, and the Raiders are excited about what he brings to the table. Oakland has already begun to put a special package of plays together for Jones that will look to take advantage of his 4.3 40-yard dash speed. While he is currently listed behind Michael Bush as the team's second running back, I find it hard to believe that he will remain on the bench for very long this season.
The Raiders have an awful situation at quarterback right now. None of their options are particularly enticing. That means we can go ahead and assume they will run the ball a ton. While McFadden will be the workhorse, Jones could see a lot of carries as his backup.
He may not be worth a starting spot now, but if he gets on the field early and often, or if McFadden goes down with an injury, Jones could be a great pickup.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
