Oakland Raiders: A few free agent running backs who might be able to help

The Oakland Raiders are anything but set in the backfield and could need additional help – here are a few names possibly worth considering.

Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden is understandably excited about having Marshawn Lynch as his lead back this season.

After a slow start last year, Beast Mode cranked it up over the last six games or so, and was one of the better backs in the league.

Over that last quarter of the season or so, he looked a lot more like the bruising, punishing back that helped the Seattle Seahawks win one title, and come within a yard of a second, when Seattle head coach Pete Carroll made the inexplicable decision to throw to win the game, rather than hand it to Lynch, who would have sealed the deal.

Yeah, sorry, ol’ Pete’s probably never going to live it down.

Given Lynch’s resurgence in the latter part of the season, coupled with an offensive line getting back to doing what they do best, as well as a legit bruising fullback to help clear the way for him, there’s a lot of reasons to believe that Lynch can perform at a high level once more.

The questions come after Lynch – and they’re very legitimate concerns to have.

While Gruden and a few others have been raving about Doug Martin through the early part of the offseason program, you really have to wonder if he’s going to be all that, once the pads come on. It’s a lot easier running against air than against other actual players trying to take your head off.

There’s also Martin’s track record to think about.

Now entering his seventh season in the league, Martin has posted two outstanding 1.400-yard plus seasons.

But, he’s also posted less than 500 yards in each of the other four.

And, he’s coming off two consecutive years where he failed average even a paltry three yards per carry.

So, how much can Martin really be trusted or relied on to help carry the load in Oakland’s backfield?

With only Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington (and possibly Chris Warren III, though he seems a more likely candidate for the practice squad), behind Lynch on the depth chart, Oakland’s cupboards are a little – bare.

But hey, we can hope Martin really is about to have a career renaissance, right?

Yeah, if not though, if Martin ends up being more fool’s gold than real deal, there are still some running backs out there on the free agent market who could possibly step in and help shoulder that burden in the backfield – all of whom, could very likely be had on the cheap.

In no particular order, here are a few running backs Gruden and the Raiders may want to keep on their radar…