Back-up RBs work hard, wait, and hope they’ll one day take the reigns as starters. Sometimes it happens. Sometimes it doesn’t. When will you know one way or the other?
That question looms large for the Oakland Raiders this year.
It’s rotation time for Oakland at RB. Maurice Jones-Drew retired and Darren McFadden left for Dallas. A new group of candidates will fight for starting reps.
Courtesy: profootballtalk.nbcsports.com
Three back-up RB’s will get a look with the Raiders. Oakland picked-up two former back-ups—Roy Hulu and Trent Richardson—who will join in workouts with one of its own, Latavius Murray.
Will any of them make it? Or will they be like Ben Tate?
Ben Tate, if you recall, was a good back-up for Arian Foster in Houston. Then he took that illusive ‘bite of the apple’ by joining the Cleveland Browns last year. It ended badly—not only in Cleveland but with several other teams, too.
Oakland wants to avoid that from happening. But which one, if any, looks to be the starter?
Personally, I love what Roy Helu did with scraps left by the Redskins’ Alfred Morris. Last year Roy turned 82 total touches into 693 yards (5.4 yards per carry, 11.4 yards per reception). He also scored three touchdowns during the year.
Courtesy: thesportspost.com
Roy will face off against another newly acquired back-up RB, Trent Richardson, who was the 3rd pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. But this 1st Round pick has disappointed. He rushed for only 3.3 yards per-carry last year and totaled 748 total yards of offense. The only thing that Richardson has over the others is that he has more reps as a starter.
Finally, there’s McFadden’s back-up last year, Latavius Murray. Murray will continue his quest to be the starter—a goal attenuated by concussions in 2014. Murray was able to collect a total of 567 yards while averaging 5.2 yards per carry.
Courtesy: bleacherreport.com
Who will it be? Will it be a guy seeking his first start; a guy looking for redemption; or a guy limited by concussions?
Hopefully, all will end well for Oakland. The stakes are high: the Raiders need solid performance at RB.
