Mike Washington Jr. gets early carries over Ashton Jeanty for Raiders vs. Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Las Vegas Raiders are getting their rookies more involved early in their Sunday game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, including a surprise move in the backfield.

Running back Mike Washington Jr. has received the first six carries of the game over Ashton Jeanty, though Jeanty was on the field for the first play of the game and at times in the first quarter.

Trey Zuhn III got the start at right guard over Caleb Rogers and Jackson Powers-Johnson, who had both started games earlier in the season.

And fourth-round pick Jermod McCoy entered the game in place of cornerback Darien Porter, who suffered a groin injury on the first defensive snap.

It had been Hezekiah Masses rotating with Porter for the last several weeks.

McCoy missed his final collegiate season with a major knee injury and has been working to regain his health and confidence. Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard said this week McCoy was getting close to 100 percent. Zuhn had been trending toward earning a starting spot as both Rogers and Powers-Johnson endured their struggles.

As for the running back situation, it’s unclear whether Jeanty was being disciplined for comments he made about the Jets being unwilling tacklers or if the move to Washington was performance-based.

Washington had 21 yards on six carries in the first quarter.

Contact Adam Hill at [email protected]. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.

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