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Raiders roster: 3 current starters fighting for their job this summer

By Micah McDonald

MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 26: General Manager Mike Mayock of the Oakland Raiders of the North Team on the field before the start of the 2019 Reese's Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 26, 2019 in Mobile, Alabama. The North defeated the South 34 to 24. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 26: General Manager Mike Mayock of the Oakland Raiders of the North Team on the field before the start of the 2019 Reese's Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 26, 2019 in Mobile, Alabama. The North defeated the South 34 to 24. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
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Raiders
HOUSTON, TX – OCTOBER 27: Richie Incognito #64 of the Oakland Raiders breaks the huddle during a game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on October 27, 2019, in Houston, Texas. The Texans defeated the Raiders 27-24. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

Raiders roster: 3 current starters fighting for their job this summer

OG Richie Incognito

The Raiders were the center of a lot of scrutinies when they brought in former NFL bad boy Richie Incognito. In their defense, no one epitomized the aura of being a Raider more than him. The biggest concern with bringing in Incognito outside of his overall issues was his age.

Drafted in 2005 by the then St. Louis Rams, he came to the Raiders organization as a 14-year vet coming out of retirement.

To the surprise of a lot of people around the league, Incognito seemed to come close to playing at the Pro Bowl level he once was. It was clear he still had gas left in the tank and helped bolster a Raiders offensive line that needed guard help opposite of former Raider Gabe Jackson.

Unfortunately, the 2020 season didn’t bode as well for him, as he tore his Achilles and had to have season-ending foot surgery. He was released and then re-signed to alleviate the cap hit, as his contract extension was imposing on the team.

Quietly making his name known for the Raiders offensive line is 2020 fourth-round draft pick, John Simpson. Originally slated to learn behind the veterans in front of him, he was thrust into a few starting spots and a heavy rotational position this past season.

Though he went through his own growing pains along the way, Simpson proved he could hold his own in the trenches and projects to be a long-time solution for the Raiders. If Father Time continues to take its toll on Incognito, or his injury history flairs back up again, we could see Simpson given the shot to take over.

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