Oakland Raiders biggest needs at halfway mark
By Austin Gayle
As noted before, Oakland’s offensive line has performed at an elite level both in pass protection and in the ground game in nearly every game this season, as the unit has given up just 10 sacks this season and has allowed Oakland’s backfield to average 4.5 yards per carry, via NFL.com.
With that being said, some might believe I am nit-picking at one of Oakland’s best position groups, but there unfortunately is a weak link along the Raiders’ offensive line that could increasingly hurt the team in the near future.
Raiders right guard J’Marcus Webb originally came into Oakland on a one-year deal this offseason based off his previous experience with offensive line coach Mike Tice, and though Tice has managed to transform Oakland’s offensive line into one of top units in the league, he hasn’t quite been able to develop Webb into a capable starter.
According to ProFootballFocus.com, Webb is considered as the No. 71 overall guard in the NFL among the 77 eligible.
While Webb’s poor play hasn’t had a relatively significant impact due to level of talent surrounding him, Oakland’s starting center Hudson suffered an ankle injury against Pittsburgh that could sideline him for at least their Week 10 contest against Minnesota, and as a result, the combination of both Webb and reserve center Tony Bergstrom could amount to a serious problem for Oakland.
Next: Filling the Need: Right Guard