Raiders Murray Set As Starter, Jones Ahead Of Helu
The Oakland Raiders released their opening depth chart Tuesday, officially naming Latavius Murray as the starting running back, with Taiwan Jones as the No. 2 and Roy Helu Jr. as the third.
While Murray as the starter wont surprise anyone, the former defensive back Jones jumped ahead of Helu this preseason in one of the most heated position battles on the roster. Trent Richardson, who was cut last week, was another member battling for the No. 2 spot, but his performance was less than stellar.
Jones had turned some heads this offseason as a running back after making a position switch from the defensive back. He was originally drafted in 2011 as a running back out of Eastern Washington but became a defensive back in 2013. Jones put up the best yards per rush on the team this preseason with 5.4, but he only had five carries for 27 yards.
Compared to Helu's eight carries for 11 yards, Jones looks like the right pick for the back up spot.