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Raiders Rumors: Free-Agent RB C.J. Anderson to Work out for Oakland

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerFeatured ColumnistOctober 21, 2019

Detroit Lions running back C.J. Anderson (26) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Free-agent running back C.J. Anderson worked out for the Oakland Raiders on Monday, according to ESPN's Field Yates

Anderson ran for 43 yards on 16 carries for the Detroit Lions earlier this year before they released him in September.

Yates reported last week the Raiders brought LeGarrette Blount and Bo Scarbrough in for workouts.

First-round draft pick Josh Jacobs has delivered out of the backfield, running for 554 yards and four touchdowns through six games.

The fact the team is casting a wide net for another running back could be a sign head coach Jon Gruden has lost faith in one or both of the team's backups, DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard. The pair are averaging 3.6 and 4.2 yards per carry, respectively.

Gruden may prefer instead to make the running game an even bigger focus of the offense. The Raiders' 137.8 rushing yards per game are sixth-most in the NFL.

Anderson made waves toward the end of the 2018 season when he ran for 299 yards and two touchdowns for the Los Angeles Rams over the final two weeks. He then went for 123 yards and two scores in the Rams' divisional-round win over the Dallas Cowboys.

The 28-year-old's brief stint in Detroit was a return to reality. He'd likely be limited to goal-line and short-yardage situations were he to sign with the Raiders.