Just Maul, Baby! A Tradition in the Trenches of the Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders are continuing an old tradition in 2016 — dominant play of the offensive line.

The Oakland Raiders offensive line is a cornerstone that has been endowed with glory since the franchise was born. All you have to do is take a trip to Canton, Ohio to the NFL Hall of Fame if proof is needed. Some of the game’s greatest linemen every to play the game have worn the Silver and Black — names such as Jim Otto, Gene Upshaw, and Art Shell.

This tradition has now resumed under the leadership of General Manager Reggie McKenzie, Head Coach Jack Del Rio, and Offensive Line Coach Mike Tice.

“Carr Insurance”, as it has been nicknamed by Raider Nation — is made up of Pro Bowl players Donald Penn, Kelechi Osemele and Rodney Hudson as the core, with the group being rounded off (though not to be overlooked) by Gabe Jackson and either Menelik Watson or Austin Howard. Even Vadal Alexander and Denver Kirkland have both stepped up at times during the season.

Despite the injury to starting quarterback Derek Carr, this scary group of behemoths should be the primary reason to feel good about the team’s chances in the playoffs. They’ll be able to keep Matt McGloin on his feet, and will help pave the way for the dynamic three-headed rushing attack of Latavius Murray, Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington.

This dominant offensive line has been a work in progress, from basically the day McKenzie took over as general manager. McKenzie was quick to clean house upon being hired, opting to not retain or simply outright releasing the linemen of the previous regime — something he did deliberately and systematically with the end goal of rebuilding the entire offensive line.

Players who were once considered staples of the offensive line — such as Jared Veldheer and Stefen Wisniewski — were no longer on the team. It’s easy look back at letting these players walk now as smart decisions, but the loss of each player was met with much criticism at the time.

Donald Penn, a tackle from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was signed in 2014, and has proven to be the foundational piece of this group. But at the time of his signing, he was a tackle on the wrong side of 30, replacing an up and coming left tackle in Veldherr — so it was a move that was met with mixed opinions.

Then in the same draft that McKenzie landed Khalil Mack and Derek Carr, a guard from Mississippi State named Gabe Jackson was taken in the third round. Standing at 6’3″ and weighing in at 336 pounds, Big Gabe was quick to establish himself as a force on the interior part of the line.

After finally having some financial flexibility and spending money to use in free agency, McKenzie signed Hudson and Osemele to long-term deals in back to back offseasons. The massive bedrock of the offensive line was now set in stone.

Even though Derek Carr went down with an injury in Week 16, the play of the o-line this season cannot be overstated. Carr was one the least sacked QB’s in the league this year, and the Raiders have bolstered a top five run game nearly all season long.

The stature of this line — it has been recorded as one of the heaviest currently in the NFL — will ensure Carr will remain upright for years to come. And in the short-term, the offensive line is why this team still has hope headed into the postseason.

Obviously this unit has to continue to play at a high level before it can bask in the glory of previous Raiders offensive lines — such as the one anchored by Upshaw — but nonetheless, the future is bright in the trenches.

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