Maurice Jones-Drew makes minor impact in Oakland Raiders debut
The Oakland Raiders added more power to their backfield in the offseason with the addition of former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew on a three-year contract.
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On Friday night, Jones-Drew made his official debut with the Raiders in Oakland’s preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis.
Jones-Drew didn’t contribute much to the Raiders in his first game in the silver and black. But, when you are a running back with his tenure, you don’t really have to prove yourself in game one of the preseason.
The nine-year veteran out of UCLA ran the ball two time for just 10 yards, with his longest carry of the game being for seven yards. He also had two receptions for 14 yards. His longest catch was for eight yards.
Jones-Drew is expected to see more playing time as the Raiders advance closer to the regular season, but in his first game for his new team, he must have shown head coach Dennis Allen enough to satisfy.
Sound off FanSiders! What do you think of Jones-Drew’s debut with the Raiders on Friday? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
Mike’s Musings: Jones-Drew didn’t seem to get hurt at all in his debut, which, to me, signals a solid performance in the opening preseason game. If the Raiders are going to end a decade-long playoff drought, he is going to have to stay healthy.