At this point, the Oakland Raiders are hoping they can get one more win out of the season. Sitting at 1-11 on the season, their schedule is not getting any easier as they prepare to face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. The Raiders are slowly starting to shift their focus towards the offseason which will include a coaching change, potential quarterback switch and the exit of several free agents. So who remains that could be a future star for the Raiders?
The ground game has left a lot to be desired for the Raiders this season. In the offseason, the team opted to re-sign the struggling Darren McFadden while bringing on free agent Maurice Jones-Drew who was having his own struggles of the season. The Raiders were hoping that the two veterans could re-find their footing in 2014 and have bounce-back years. That has failed to happen. McFadden has pulled off some impressive games, but all around it was not what Oakland wanted. However, one bright spot has emerged giving the future hope, Latavius Murray.
In his extremely limited time on the field, Murray has 166 yards on just 14 attempts. He is averaging 11.9 years per carry while his longest is a 90 yard touchdown run. He also has 35 yards receiving off six catches. The running back was essential in the team's one win this season. He put up 112 yards and two touchdowns in the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs, giving the offense a much-needed spark. That kind of production has the team excited for the future.
"I love the way Latavius runs the football," head coach Tony Sparano said, via CSNBayArea.com. "I like what I've seen, but I've seen [14] carries. I want to see more of them. I'm curious, too. I'm curious just like the fans are curious."
According to Pro Football Talk, Murray is being viewed as a piece the Raiders can begin to build around for the future. The chances are slim that either McFadden or Jones-Drew return next year. That leaves Oakland with Murray and fullback Marcel Reece. The Raiders could look to sign a veteran to help out or they could aim high for a star. With Derek Carr looking like the long-term option at quarterback, the Raiders must work to add top offensive weapons for him to excel with. Most NFL mock drafts have Amari Cooper or Kevin White being the wide receiver options while players like DeMarco Murray or even Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson running back options. The Raiders could also make a trade for LeSean McCoy or sign Mark Ingram. They have plenty of options, but Murray is clearly a player to get excited about for the future.
"Without a doubt, and I'm ready to show that," Murray said. "I'm ready to show I can handle a workload of carries, so there's no pressure for me at all. I know what I'm capable of and so however many carries I get or however many plays I get, I just have to make sure I go in there and perfect them."
