The decade is coming to an end. It hasn’t been a great one for the “Team of the Decades.” They made the playoffs just once with that also being their one winning season and they didn’t win any playoff games. The franchise’s sixth decade was easily its worst.
In that regard, you’re likely to wonder how some of the names who made the franchise’s all-decade team made it here. And honestly in some cases, it was the lesser of the evils. In other cases, it took some digging to find the reasons for a player to make the team. But some players would have made this team no matter who they played for. There just weren’t enough of those to cobble together a team that could sustain success.
With that said, here is my Raiders 2010-2019 All-Decade team
Quarterback: Derek Carr
2nd team: Carson Palmer
Carr was an easy choice here. He was the Raiders quarterback for six of the ten seasons this decade, and remaining the starting QB in Oakland for that long allowed him to become the franchise all-time leading passer. He made three Pro Bowls and surpassed 4000 yards just once.
Running back: Latavius Murray
2nd team: Darren McFadden
There wasn’t a lot to choose from for this one. Murray went over 1000 yards in his second season in Oakland. As a rookie, he didn’t get his shot until week 11 and his monster game propelled the Raiders to their first win of the season. The following season he went over 1000 yards. His third season, he put up 12 touchdowns, which was the most by any back in a single season this decade.
Fullback: Marcel Reece
2nd team: Jamize Olawale
For a few years there, Reece was the only surefire Pro Bowler the Raiders had. He made three in a row from 2012 to 2014 and was described simply as a weapon.
Wide receivers: Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree
2nd team: Rod Streater, Seth Roberts
Cooper and Crabtree were easy choices. No other receivers in the past ten years have come close to the numbers they put up in their three years together in 2015, 16, and 17. In the team’s one winning season in 2016, they both went over 1000 yards. And, yes, Seth Roberts is on the second team. Fight me.
Tight end: Jared Cook
2nd team: Lee Smith
Cook was the best tight end the Raiders had since Zach Miller. Cook was the Raiders leading receiver in both of his seasons with the team, heading to the Pro Bowl in 2018 with 896 yards. Gotta give Lee Smith a shout out for his blocking prowess.
Tackles: LT Donald Penn. RT Khalif Barnes
2nd team: Jared Veldheer, Trent Brown
Left tackle was actually in pretty good hands for most of the decade. First with Jared Veldheer and then Donald Penn. The Raiders got a stroke of luck when the Buccaneers stupidly released Penn. They had just let Veldheer sign with the Cardinals as a free agent and Penn stepped right in and went to a couple Pro Bowls. And for as much crap as Khalif Barnes took, he was one of the steadiest presences on the Raiders Oline for years and certainly their best right tackle. The man signed seven one-year deals with the team and played a good bit of guard too when he was asked.
Guards: Kelechi Osemele, Gabe Jackson
2nd team: Cooper Carlisle, Mike Brisiel
Osemele was an All-Pro for the Raiders and Gabe Jackson has held down one of the guard spots for the team the past six years.
Center: Rodney Hudson
2nd team: Stefen Wisniewski
Hudson is not only the best center of the decade, but he is flat out one of the best Raiders players at any position. He just got named to his third Pro Bowl, and honestly it should be his fifth or sixth.
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