Oakland Raiders: Gabe Jackson could be headed to first Pro Bowl
By Brad Weiss
The Oakland Raiders have a very strong offensive line entering Mandatory Minicamp, and Gabe Jackson could be in for a Pro Bowl season.
The Oakland Raiders made Gabe Jackson their third round pick back in the 2014 NFL Draft, taking the big fella out of Mississippi State. Since then, Jackson has become a full-time starter for the Raiders, starting 12 games as a rookie, and serving on both sides of the line ever since.
For the past three seasons, Jackson has been the Raiders starting right guard, and a very good one at that. Incredibly, despite the talent he displays, as well as how well he protects, and run blocks, Jackson has never been named to a Pro Bowl during his first five seasons in the NFL.
All of that is going to change in 2019.
Jackson has come close on a few occasions, and when head coach Jon Gruden returned to the Silver and Black, he could not believe that he had never been picked to play in the Pro Bowl. As one of the veterans returning to the Raiders offensive line in 2019, he has looked incredible this Spring, and that is mostly because he is healthy.
Last season, Jackson appeared in only 12 games, and it was pretty incredible that he found his way into the lineup for that many. Jackson suffered a partial pectoral tear in Week 1, and later in the season, he broke his elbow.
In 2019, Jackson will team with a former Pro Bowler at the guard position, as the Raiders brought in Richie Incognito to replace another Pro Bowler in Kelechi Osemele. Oakland traded away Osemele to the New York Jets early in the new league year, so it was crucial that the team fill that role with a talented guy.
While Incognito is a bit of a Wild Card, he does give the Raiders a viable option at left guard, and allows Jackson to stay on the right side.
Next. Brown returns to right side, where he is elite. dark
As a whole, this Raiders offensive line has the talent to be one of the best in the AFC in 2019, especially if they can stay healthy, and get a solid season from Incognito. Jackson has yet to make a Pro Bowl during his NFL career, but all of that should change with a solid 2019 campaign.