Recent Las Vegas Raiders signings could be the end for Gabe Jackson
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders have been spending money on the interior of their offensive line, which could spell the end for Gabe Jackson.
The Las Vegas Raiders have been adding to the interior of their offensive line as of late, bringing in Eric Kush from the Cleveland Browns, and re-signing Jordan Devey. Devey started four games for the team last season before tearing his pectoral muscle, and eventually being replaced by Richie Incognito.
In fact, the plan for Devey last season was to give way to Incognito, who went on to prove he has a ton left in the tank. Kush will provide depth on the inside, as will Denzelle Good, which begs the question as to whether or not Gabe Jackson will be brought back in 2020.
Nobody is saying that Jackson is not good enough to start for the Raiders, in fact, he in my opinion is a Pro Bowl caliber lineman. The problem is that the Raiders are running low on cap space, even with Rodney Hudson restructuring his contract, and making nearly $10 million this year, Jackson may be considered expendable.
Devey and Good both are good enough to start, and Kush is a solid depth option behind them. The Raiders offensive line is a solid one with Kolton Miller and Trent Brown at the tackle positions, as well as Rodney Hudson at center, and Incognito was just extended another two years with the team.
As it stands, the Raiders would take on a dead cap hit of $0 if they release Jackson prior to June 1, so that is definitely a date to keep an eye on. In addition, the 2020 NFL Draft is weeks away, and the Raiders have a ton of high draft capital, so this roster is going to look a lot different in a couple of weeks.
Jackson has a high price tag, but he is also a very talented offensive lineman, and is on the brink of becoming a Pro Bowl player. The Raiders have made a concerted effort to bolster both sides of the line as they head to Las Vegas, and for Jackson, he could end up being the odd man out.