Oakland Raiders: Why They Should Sign Willis McGahee
November 18, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos running back Willis McGahee (23) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
The Oakland Raiders have made many moves this offseason, but there are ways that they can still improve their roster. One of those ways is by signing Willis McGahee, who was recently released by the Denver Broncos.
McGahee would be a good fit for the Raiders for many reasons, such as backing up the injury-prone Darren McFadden.
In his words, he has “a lot if great football left the tank,” which he obviously does. Any team with a brain would know that he is an exceptional option to help out a team as a third-down back.
The Raiders need all the help they can get to lighten the load on McFadden because whenever DMC runs through a crowd, he injures himself.
McGahee still has the speed, the strength, the brain, the agility, and the football mentality to produce at a high level in the NFL.
In the last two years, McGahee averaged 965 yards and four touchdowns per season on just 206 carries. If those stats continue to be put in the board, you can find him continuing to play football games on Sunday.
The Broncos are going to be sorry that they let him go, because wherever he ends up, he’s going to play his heart out. The future Hall of Famer is almost guaranteed a spot on someone’s roster.
Another reason why the Raiders should sign him is because of his blocking ability. If a rusher is coming off the weak side and is going for the kill of the quarterback, McGahee’s got the help. If a QB-killer is charging up the middle, he’s got the chop block. He’s the guy that you can count on.
The most useful skill that McGahee would bring to the table is his incredible ability to make catches passes out of the backfield. He has accumulated more than 1,300 receiving yards and five touchdowns over the course of his career. In nine seasons as a pro, he has 202 receptions for an average of 6.5 yards per catch.
“Fake handoff to McFadden and then the dump-off pass to McGahee. He’s at the 40, the 30, the 20, the 10, five, TOUCHDOWN RAIDERS!”
That’s just one of the things that Raiders announcer Greg Papa would be saying should the Raiders sign McGahee.