Raiders: Disastrous decade was not devoid of impactful players
As decades go, the 2010s weren’t much for the Raiders unless you’re a fan of disaster movies.
One season with a winning record, two at .500 (and praying hard for a third).
One trip to the playoffs, and clinging to hope for a second pending their final game in Denver and getting lucky with the tiebreaker. Six head coaches. Five seasons with double-digit losses.
At 63-96 (.396) with one game pending, the 2010s are the Raiders’ second-worst decade in their 60-year history. Only the 2000s were worse at 62-98, .388. (That makes for a long dark time, especially when considering the Raiders won 33 games and three division titles from 2000-03.)
So it stands to reason that an All-2010s team as it pertains to the Raiders would be less than impressive at some positions.
To get the best 22, I took the liberty of changing up a position or two the way it’s done in Pro Bowls. My team, my rules.
Quarterback
DEREK CARR (2014-PRESENT) >> So a 39-54 won-loss record doesn’t do much for you? How about the fact that 19 of those wins have been because of game-winning drives? Has missed two games in six seasons since beating out Matt Schaub as a rookie second-round draft pick in 2014.
BACKUP >> Carson Palmer (2011-12)
Running back
DARREN MCFADDEN (2008-14) >> McFadden hit the 2010s running as for 20 games in 2010-11 he was as good as any running back in the NFL, gaining 1,771 yards, averaging better than 5 yards per carry and was a dangerous receiver. Those Hue Jackson-coached years McFadden was as good as advertised.
BACKUP >> Josh Jacobs (2019)
Fullback
MARCEL REECE (2009-15) >>A wide receiver at the University of Washington, Reece was converted to fullback by Al Davis, made the Raiders off a tryout camp and caught 203 passes from 2010 through 2015. An underrated and under-used runner, Reece also had 844 yards rushing, and no one wore the colors with more pride. BACKUP >> Alec Ingold (2019)
Wide receivers
MICHAEL CRABTREE (2015-17), AMARI COOPER (2015-18) >> Signed as a free agent after he wore out his welcome with the 49ers, Crabtree caught 232 passes for 2,543 yards and 25 touchdowns in three seasons with the Raiders. In 2016, he had 89 catches for 1,003 yards and eight touchdowns.
Cooper played three seasons and part of a fourth after being a firstround draft pick. He broke 1,000 yards receiving each of his first two seasons and had 225 receptions for 3,183 yards and 19 touchdowns as a Raider before being traded to Dallas for a first-round draft pick under Jon Gruden. BACKUPS >> Denarius Moore (201114), Darrius Heyward-Bey (200912)
Tight end
JARED COOK (2017-18) >> Had his most productive back-to-back seasons in the NFL as a pro with the Raiders, first under Jack Del Rio and then under Gruden with 122 receptions for 1,584 yards over the two seasons.
BACKUP >> Darren Waller (2018-19)
Left tackle
DONALD PENN (2014-18) >> Saved the hide of Reggie McKenzie when the general manager tried to sign Rodger Saffold to play left tackle and Jared Veldheer signed with Arizona. All Penn did was play at a Pro Bowl level and protect Derek Carr in his formative years. BACKUP >> Kolton Miller (2018-19)
Left guard
KELECHI OSEMELE (2016-18) >> You’ll have a hard time convincing me any other guard could so thoroughly change the personality of a team upon arrival as a free agent. Osemele’s pancake blocks and pass protection went a long way toward creating an attitude in the 2016 season before he gradually began to break down. BACKUP >> Richie Incognito (2019)
Center
RODNEY HUDSON (2015-PRESENT) >> McKenzie’s first big strike in free agency was his best. Hudson is one of the elite of his position, difficult to beat as a pass blocker and serious in terms of preparation and doling out blocking assignments.
BACKUP >> Samson Satele (2009-11)
Right guard
GABE JACKSON (2014-PRESENT) >> Jackson started on the left side, moving to the right in 2016 when Osemele came aboard, and played well enough to earn a contract extension making him one of the NFL’s highest-paid guards. Powerful run blocker battling knee injury this season.
BACKUP >> Cooper Carlisle (200712)
Right tackle
JARED VELDHEER (2010-13) >> Veldheer never played right tackle for the Raiders (he played on the left), but there was always talk of it happening. He indeed ended up there in Arizona. Clearly the Raiders’ second-best tackle of the decade behind Donald Penn after being a third-round pick out of Division II Hillsdale.
BACKUP >> Austin Howard (201416)
Defensive ends
KHALIL MACK (2014-17), JUSTIN TUCK (2014-15) >> Mack was an impact player from the moment he stepped on the field, even with just four sacks as a rookie. Mack was the NFL’s defensive player of the year in 2016. Had 40½ sacks in four seasons and was stout against the run. Raiders balked at his contract demands and traded him to the Chicago Bears.
Tuck played in just 20 games in 2014 and 2015 with six sacks. But the way he played and conducted himself — particularly in a 3-13 2014 season — played a role in what Mack eventually became. Peak years were behind him, but still had a big influence. BACKUPS >> Maxx Crosby (2019), Lamarr Houston (2010-13)
Defensive tackles
TOMMY KELLY (2004-12), RICHARD SEYMOUR (2009-12) >> Kelly started 48 games in his three seasons in the 2010s, with 14½ sacks from an inside rush position in 2010 and 2011. Also batted down eight passes in those seasons and took to the inside after Davis initially paid big money for him to play at end.
Did the Raiders get anything near what they hoped when trading for Seymour before the 2009 season began? No, but when Seymour was motivated, no Raiders defensive lineman in the decade other than Mack was as destructive. Had 16 sacks in 37 games in the 2010s.
BACKUP >> Antonio Smith (2014), Justin Ellis (2014-18)
Outside linebacker
KAMERION WIMBLEY (2010-11) >> Acquired by trade, Wimbley had nine sacks in 2010 and seven more in 2011 as a pass-rushing outside linebacker. That tied his best for back-to-back seasons, getting 16 in his first two years with Cleveland. Ran hot and cold but a fearsome rusher on his good days. BACKUP >> Phillip Wheeler (2012)
Middle linebacker
PERRY RILEY JR. (2016) >> Joined the Raiders in-season, started immediately and was among the team leaders in tackles despite missing five games. Lent some stability to a defense that needed it en route to a 12-4 season that was the only winning record of the decade. Forced two fumbles. And that was it. Hasn’t played since.
BACKUP >> NaVorro Bowman (2017)
Outside linebacker
BRUCE IRVIN (2016-18) >> Before he pretty much checked out after the Raiders traded Mack, Irvin was a productive pass rusher as an outside linebacker and a contributor to the 2016 playoff team. His 15 sacks in the 2016-17 seasons still stand as his best back-to-back seasons.
BACKUP >> Malcolm Smith
Cornerbacks
NNAMDI ASOMUGHA (2003-2010), STANFORD ROUTT (2005-11) >> Yes, you’re reading this right. Asomugha played 14 games in 2010 and had six passes defended with no interceptions. And then he left in free agency. But nobody, and I mean nobody, threw at him. It was almost embarrassing. Things weren’t the same for Asomugha after he left the Raiders, but that’s not the point.
In his final two seasons with the Raiders in 2010-11, Routt broke up 28 passes with six interceptions with one returned for a touchdown. A solid cover corner, he suffered from being on the other side of Asomugha, whom other teams seldom targeted. BACKUP >> T.J. Carrie (2014-17), David Amerson (2015-16)
Strong safety
MICHAEL HUFF (2007-2012) >> OK, so Huff isn’t exactly a true strong safety, although he played just about everywhere for the Raiders after being the No. 7 overall pick in 2006. Huff had seven of his 11 interceptions in the 2010s and his end zone pick with 10 men on the field clinched a win the day after Davis died.
BACKUP >> Tyvon Branch (2008-14)
Free safety
CHARLES WOODSON (2013-15) >> Older and wiser but still a playmaker, Woodson intercepted the last 10 passes, recovered the last seven fumbles and scored his 13th and final touchdown in the final three seasons of his career as a Raider.
BACKUP >> Erik Harris (2017-19)
Kicker
SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI (2000-18) >> The kicker for two decades, the 2000s and the 2010s. Janikowski, a controversial first-round draft pick by Davis, left the franchise with every place kicker scoring record imaginable and came to be one of the most popular Raiders among the fan base.
Punter
SHANE LECHLER (2000-12) >> Lechler, picked the same year as Janikowski, had three of his best seasons from 2010-12 with 75 punts inside the 20-yard line and gross averages of 47.0, 50.8 and 47.2. As good as his successor Marquette King was, Lechler was better.
Return specialist
JACOBY FORD (2010-13) >> A comet with sprinter’s speed who had six kickoff returns of 40 yards or more over four seasons and four touchdowns, including three as a rookie fourth-round draft pick out of Clemson. Had touchdown returns of 101 yards in both the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
Coach
JACK DEL RIO >> Led the Raiders to their only winning season since 2002 with a 12-4 record in 2016, though an injury to Derek Carr undercut any chance at a playoff run. Del Rio delivered one of that season’s iconic moments, going for and converting a two-point try to win the opener against the Saints with less than a minute left. He finished with a winning record at 25-23 over three seasons.