Las Vegas Raiders: 50 greatest players in franchise history

Even past 40 years of age, punter Shane Lechler is still doing his thing for the Houston Texans. While his Pro Bowl days might be over, he was the best punter of his generation. You want proof of that? Lechler was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team in the 2000s. The former Texas A&M Aggie first made a name for himself as a member of the Raiders.

The Raiders used a fifth-round pick on the punter in the 2000 NFL Draft. This will go down as the greatest special teams draft of all-time. The Raiders used a first-round pick on franchise points leader Sebastian Janikowski and selected Lechler in the fifth. So how long did it take for Lechler to be an impact player for the Silver and Black? Well, he was a first-team All-Pro as a rookie. That’s all you really need to know.

Lechler would spend his first 13 NFL seasons with the Raiders, where he made seven Pro Bowls, six first-team All-Pros, and three second-team All-Pros. He led the league in punting yardage three times with the Raiders and a fourth last year with the Texans. Who knows how long Lechler will still be doing his thing?

His Raiders tenure came to an end in 2013 after the emergence of Marquette King. However, Lechler’s Pro Football Hall of Fame candidacy is very compelling. He’s likely the second-best punter of all-time. The problem is he is a punter and the Pro Football Hall of Fame doesn’t exactly prioritize special teams excellence. We have to believe that one day Lechler will have his bust in Canton.