Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek told reporters Tuesday that running back Ashton Jeanty is on track to return from an ankle injury, and possibly sooner than most expect.
"He's working really hard. He's on the mend, as Klint said. I think that's one of the things that we all like and respect about Ashton is just the maturity that he has and the spirit that he has that it's hard to knock him down," Spytek said.
When asked specifically about the timeline, Spytek was cautious but optimistic. He said he expects Jeanty to "be back as quick as he can" and "maybe quicker than some people would expect." When asked where Jeanty stood mentally, Spytek said, "I think he's in a good spot. And I think he'll be ready to go when we get him back out there."
Jeanty, 22, is believed to have sprained his ankle during an August 23 practice, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. He landed awkwardly on the indoor practice facility's turf grass while diving for a low pass thrown by quarterback Kirk Cousins. He had to be helped off the field and reportedly could not put pressure on his right leg at the time. His teammates and coaches took a knee and said a prayer after he left the field.
Last week, first-year Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak described Jeanty's status as "on the mend."
Jeanty was selected by the Raiders with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 draft out of Boise State, where he was a 2024 Heisman Trophy runner-up. His rookie season produced nearly 1,000 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, though the Raiders finished 3-14 and Jeanty ran behind a struggling offensive line for much of the year.
With Jeanty sidelined, fourth-round rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. from Arkansas has moved into the spotlight. Washington performed well during the preseason. Spytek credited head coach Kubiak for identifying him.
"He stood on a table for that kid at the start of Day 3, and this is the perfect scheme fit," Spytek said of Washington. "We can make this player into a good player. He has what we're looking for."
Spytek added that while Washington's preseason performance was real, the regular season would bring a different challenge. "It gets very real very fast here now. But I think we're all excited about the track that Mike is on, and I think we have an expectation that he's going to help us win football games this year."
No firm timetable for Jeanty's return has been announced.
