A pair of notable numbers don't support new Oakland Raiders running back Maurice Jones-Drew.
The first is the number 29. That is how old Jones-Drew turned on the 23rd of March this year. The former Jacksonville Jaguars feature back has been in the NFL for eight seasons. During that time he has accumulated 1,804 carries and 335 receptions.
Considering how quickly careers end at the running back position these days, it's not a surprise that there are very few 30-year-olds giving teams quality snaps.
The other notable number that will likely scare Raiders fans ahead of the coming season is 3.4. That was ...
For fans of the Oakland Raiders, NFL draft fever has hit an all-time high now that free agency has started to dwindle down.
Building on a strong showing in the free-agent market, Raiders general manager, Reggie McKenzie, will now take to the draft to help the Silver and Black find their way back to the top of the AFC West.
Unlike your classic seven-round mock draft, in this draft the picks are set up little bit differently.
The goal here is to find players who would be able to come in on Day 1 and instantly contribute in some fashion to this roster.
Finding ...
The Oakland Raiders have been among the NFL’s busiest teams in free agency, and the roster’s depth chart is starting to take shape as a result.The Raiders knew they had plenty of areas to address heading into this offseason, and signings have been made at positions of need accordingly. To name a few, the silver and black already look very different at quarterback, running back and on both the offensive and defensive lines. Even with these wholesale changes, more free-agent additions are likely to come, and, of course, there's still the draft.Following the peak of free agency in the 2014 offseason, ...
The Oakland Raiders have made quite a habit of signing players on Friday. General manager Reggie McKenzie kept it up by inking running back Maurice Jones-Drew to a three-year deal, according to Scott Bair of CSN Bay Area.
Jones-Drew is 29 and coming off the worst season of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the Raiders still brought him in to compete for the starting job. It worked for the Raiders last season when—after a bad year in Jacksonville—Rashad Jennings wrestled away the starting job from Darren McFadden.
The signing of Jones-Drew may not be exciting, but it is functional. The Raiders ...
The Oakland Raiders signed running back Maurice Jones-Drew to a three-year deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Jones-Drew told the official Raiders Twitter account that his main goal is winning:
Whether or not the Raiders will post a winning record remains to be seen. But one thing is incredibly clear—the signing of MJD is very bad news for Darren McFadden.
McFadden did re-sign with the Raiders this offseason, presumably to be their starting running back again:
But the Raiders clearly don't have too much confidence in McFadden. If they did, they would not have signed Jones-Drew.
And on the one hand, that makes sense. ...
The Oakland Raiders have signed running back Maurice Jones-Drew, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
How will MJD fit into the Raiders offense? Could they still look to add another young RB through the draft?
Watch as Adam Lefkoe and Bleacher Report NFL Analyst Chris Simms discuss the future of the Raiders backfield in the video above.
Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com
Even after trading for quarterback Matt Schaub, the Oakland Raiders need to find their quarterback of the future. The odds are now against the Raiders using the No. 5 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft to select a quarterback, but it’s impossible to rule one out.
The Raiders have filled so many needs via free agency that they could draft a quarterback of the future at some point in the first two rounds. Just about every quarterback in the draft could benefit from sitting a year, so Schaub’s presence wouldn’t be a deterrent.
One of the most buzz-worthy quarterback prospects is ...
Spring training is over and after a three-game exhibition against the San Francisco Giants, the Oakland A's officially begin the 2014 regular season. The wait is nearly over, A's fans.
Spring training was interesting to say the least.
A couple of guys looked strong but still didn't make the 25-man roster. One superstar had a terrible spring. The lineup is nearly what was expected. It's the injuries that captured most of the headlines. One key injury will alter the starting pitching rotation, and because of that, the bullpen, too, will be adjusted.
Key players will have to step up big for the A's ...
Over the last decade, being a fan of the Oakland Raiders has been a long, brutal endeavor.
Still, through all of the chaos and disappointment, if you flip on the television on any given Sunday, you'll always hear the crowd roar with conviction as their beloved Raiders take the field.
That's just how they're programmed.
Talking about keeping the faith during tough times, diehard Raiders fan Jaime Meza told me, "Hope dies last."
Witnessing the end of Bo Jackson's career, the "Tuck Rule" and the whole JaMarcus Russell debacle has toughened the skin of fans like Jaime.
This offseason, Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie finally has a ...
The 2014 NFL draft is just around the corner, and the Oakland Raiders hope to use this year’s class as a foundation to rebuild on.
While a given player’s draft stock likely sees little movement in the months leading up to the draft, the same cannot be said for individual teams as they fill needs in free agency beforehand.
The prospects are the same prospects they have been all offseason, but based on some key acquisitions so far, the Raiders’ interest in many of them will rise and fall accordingly.
Here is a look at six players who are rising up or falling down ...