Las Vegas Raiders: 50 greatest players in franchise history
By John Buhler
No, Marcel Reece may not have played for the Raiders during a fruitful time for the organization. However, he was one of the best fullbacks in football during his prime in the 2010s. The Raiders took a chance on the undrafted free agent out of the University of Washington in 2008. Reece had spent the 2008 preseason with the Miami Dolphins before not making their 53-man roster.
The Raiders found great value in claiming Reece off the waiver wire. He spent the bulk of his first two seasons in the league on the Raiders’ practice squad before becoming a force to be reckoned with at fullback in 2010. It took a few years, but Reece became quite the offensive threat for the Silver and Black from 2012 to 2015.
He would make four straight trips to the Pro Bowl from 2012 to 2015. Reece was both a reliable pass catcher and a consistent runner at fullback for the Raiders during that time frame. However, he would be released by the club shortly before the 2016 NFL season. This might have had something to do with him being suspended for the first four games of the 2016 NFL season for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
Reece would eventually play for the 2016 Seattle Seahawks toward the end of that season. He would be released by the club less than a year after first joining the Seahawks. In seven seasons with the Raiders, Reece had 205 receptions for 2,015 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also had 183 carries for 844 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Not too shabby for a former undrafted player that was ultimately converted into a fullback.