Las Vegas Raiders: The franchise’s all-time team
By John Buhler
Las Vegas Raiders all-time team: Guards
. Guard. 1967-81. Gene Upshaw. 63. player. 28
The Raiders currently have a pair of outstanding guards in Kelechi Osemele and Gabe Jackson. Raider Nation should be proud in that their team has done more for the offensive line position group than any team in football. Along with John Hannah of New England Patriots lore, Pro Football Hall of Famer Gene Upshaw might be the best guard in NFL history, certainly the most transcendent.
To be completely honest, Upshaw may be the most talented player to rock the Silver and Black. At 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, Upshaw was considered to be too big to play on the offensive interior. Al Davis thought otherwise and here we are. Upshaw was a seven-time Pro Bowler, a five-time All-Pro, a two-time Super Bowl champion and a Canton inductee in 1987. He is one of the most important men in NFL history, no doubt.
28. . Guard. 1989-01. Steve Wisniewski. 76. player
It’s kind of embarrassing that The Wiz isn’t in the Pro Football Hall of Fame yet. He’ll get there one day. If guard Steve Wisniewski’s eight Pro Bowls and two All-Pros don’t do it, having his nephew Stefen Wisniewski coming into his own on the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line will only help his candidacy. Or so we think.
Originally drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1989 out of Penn State, Wisniewski was traded to the Raiders for most notably Daryl Johnston, another excellent player in his own right. Wisniewski started in 206 games for the Silver and Black, mostly at left guard. From 1990 to 1997, who was better at guard in the AFC than The Wiz, honestly? Get the dude to Canton!
Honorable mentions: Wayne Hawkins (1960-69), Kelechi Osemele (2016-present)