Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak finally speaks up regarding Ashton Jeanty’s ankle injury
The Las Vegas Raiders hope Ashton Jeanty makes a full recovery from his ankle injury.
The Las Vegas Raiders are holding their breath after running back Ashton Jeanty suffered an ankle sprain during training camp practice. The severity remains unknown, and so does the timeline for his return. What we do know is that Jeanty hasn’t been practicing with the Raiders, and head coach Klint Kubiak offered little clarity when asked about the situation on Tuesday.
Kubiak was asked about Jeanty after training camp practice and largely avoided the question. He’s on the mend, he said.
When pressed on whether he’s at least optimistic that Jeanty avoided a long-term injury, Kubiak offered a longer response: “Ashton got hurt in practice, and the whole team took a knee. I think that says a lot about him being on the mend and us counting on him. So really excited to get him back, and I’m a huge believer in the power of prayer.”
Kubiak’s comments raised more questions than they answered
That response confused many fans. If Jeanty’s injury is just an ankle sprain, why did the entire team go silent during practice? Why did everyone take a knee? Why was the reaction so dramatic for what’s been reported as a relatively routine injury?
The scene had many wondering whether something bigger was going on with the right leg Jeanty injured. Speculation swirled that his knee could have been involved and that the injury could be long-term. But based on what’s been reported so far, that doesn’t appear to be the case. A lot remains unknown, and Kubiak sidestepping the question only added to the uncertainty.
Las Vegas can lean on Mike Washington if needed
If Jeanty does miss time, whether it’s the rest of training camp or even a few regular-season games, the Raiders have rookie running back Mike Washington available. Washington, a fourth-round pick, should be fine filling in for a short stretch. You don’t want him as your starter for the entire season because he’s a rookie who needs to develop progressively, but he can handle the workload for a few games if needed.
Kubiak didn’t seem overly concerned on Tuesday, though that’s par for the course. He’s not going to tip his hand emotionally on something like this. That’s just who he is.
Tuesday’s practice was reportedly better than the one following Jeanty’s injury on Sunday. After that initial practice where Jeanty went down, the whole session went downhill. Players didn’t look like they wanted to be out there, and the mood around the team cratered. The fact that the injury is currently being reported as a possible short-term issue likely has this team feeling better than it did in those first 24 hours.
There’s still a lot to learn about where things stand with Jeanty. The Raiders have to be hoping he comes back fully healthy, because he’ll be the engine of this offense in his second year. Losing him for any extended stretch would force Kubiak to reconfigure an offense that was designed to run through him.
