In the last article, we took a look at wide receivers and tight ends. In this one, we will exclusively look at the offensive line. The other offensive and defense positions can be seen in the articles with the same title (this is three of six). Of course, there is a lot of ambiguity when it comes to determining this, so if you disagree or would swap one player out for another, feel free to comment your opinion! Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and get the conversation going.
Reminder: this is exclusively for what players did as Raiders from 2000 to 2019. Thus, there may be players who had a great career but aren’t on the list because the end of their careers or tenure with the Raiders was in the early 2000s.
Offensive Line: Donald Penn
Penn came to the Raiders in the latter half of his career, but was still effective as he made two Pro Bowls in five seasons as a Raider. The tackle also fared well in regards to PFF grades, with grades of: 88.3, 84.9, 90.0, and 79.4 respectively.
Offensive Line: Barrett Robbins
While the majority of Robbins’ career was in the late ’90s, the offensive lineman did manage to be a first team All-Pro in 2002. In the last 19 seasons, the Raiders have 13 first team All-Pro selections and Shane Lechler accounts for six of them; which makes Robbin’s All-Pro season even more special.
Offensive Line: Rodney Hudson
Since signing with the team in 2015, Hudson has been nothing short of fantastic for the Organization. The center has only allowed two sacks during his tenure as a Raider and has been to the Pro Bowl twice. When he eventually retires, Hudson should be amongst Jim Otto and Barrett Robbins as one of the franchise’s best centers.
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Offensive Line: Stefen Wisniewski
Some people might expect to see Wisniewski’s uncle Steve on this list instead of the former, but the majority of Steve’s career was played in the ’90s and he only played a few seasons in the 2000s. Wisniewski, on the other hand, is probably one of the more under-appreciated Raiders. His PFF grades during his time as a Raider are fairly impressive: 71.9, 68.1, 80.0 and 74.2.
Offensive Line: Lincoln Kennedy
Kennedy is another player where I would be shocked if there is a debate about him being included on the list. He was a first team All-Pro selection in 2002 and made the Pro Bowl three times in the 2000’s. The former Husky was an integral piece of the Raiders 2002/2003 Super Bowl team.
Honorable Mention
Offensive Line: Kelechi Osemele
In three seasons with Oakland, Osemele managed to become a first team All-Pro and made the Pro Bowl twice. Ultimately, what places K.O. in the Honorable Mention section is his tenure with the team was rather short lived. Osemele played three seasons with the Raiders and missed five games in his final season. Had Osemele played a full season last year and added another Pro Bowl, he and Wisniewski could trade places.
Be sure to comment below with any players you feel should be included!