Whether Oakland Raiders’ running back Maurice Jones-Drew actually remains a Raider in 2015 is yet to be known. However, MJD is excited for the fact this his old Jacksonville Jaguars’ coach Jack Del Rio will be heading up the Raiders this coming season (via NFL.com).
I’m happy that coach Del Rio got a second chance. He was a really good coach while I was with him in Jacksonville. With his mindset and the talent of this team, great things are on the way for this franchise.
When Del Rio was coaching the Jaguars, Jones-Drew was his running back workhorse. During the three-year span of 2009-2011, MJD piled up 4,321 rushing yards, which made him one of the NFL’s leading running backs during that span. While Del Rio’s presence in Oakland will certainly ignite some fires, Jones-Drew may not be one of them. With only 96 total rush yards at a pace of 2.2 yards per carry in 2014, the Raiders are likely to part ways with the 29-year-old Jones-Drew prior to June 1. This would allow the Raiders to save $2.5 million off their salary cap.
With veteran running back Darren McFadden outplaying MJD last season and the rise of Latavius Murray, who played better than both backs late into the season, Del Rio will likely focus his attention on the more productive players in the Raiders’ offense.
Photo: Bleacher Report