For the most part, the Raiders starters on offense seem to be set. They are bringing back all five starters on the offensive line and the only real change could be at receiver with Henry Ruggs III. But what are the odds that the Raiders will have a surprise starter on this side of the ball?
In a recent article by Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report, he named potential surprise starters for all 32 teams entering the 2020 season. For the Raiders, fourth-round pick John Simpson was named as a possible replacement for Gabe Jackson, should the team move on from him. Here is a snippet of Sobleski’s thoughts on Simpson entering his rookie season:
At this point, the Raiders have two options if they’re eager to move Jackson: Either they take whatever a suitor is willing to relinquish for the soon-to-be 29-year-old blocker, or they release him and save $9.6 million.
Either way, general manager Mike Mayock covered the team’s bases by drafting Clemson’s John Simpson in this year’s fourth round. Like Jackson, Simpson is a powerful guard at the point of attack and tailor-made for the Raiders’ offensive scheme.
It’s doubtful that the Raiders will move on from Jackson at this point in the offseason, considering his contract is now guaranteed for the 2020 season. However, there is no guaranteed money left on his deal after the year and it does seem likely that Simpson could potentially replace him in 2021.
Instead, look for Simpson to compete for a backup guard spot and potentially be active on game days. However, don’t be surprised if Simpson finds his way onto the field one way or another.
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