NFL: Top 10 players living on past reputation
Justin Tuck, DE, Oakland Raiders
(For the record, although there are several Raiders on this list, one can only hope that this isn’t a sign that Oakland didn’t get a ton of has-beens this offseason.)
There was a point in time back in the day where some would’ve thought that Justin Tuck was the heir-apparent to Michael Strahan’s throne as the best defensive end in New York, and for a while, he was one of the best along with Strahan. Both led the Giants to a pair of Super Bowl titles and Tuck hopes that he can take his leadership and rejuvenation with him to The Black Hole.
Tuck recorded 10 or more sacks in three of his first six years (2207-08, 2010 – barely played in six games in 2006), however struggled to match those numbers in the Giants 2011 Super Bowl year and the 2012 campaign after that, recording a total of just nine sacks during the span.
However, he rebounded to record 11 sacks last season in New York and is hoping to build continue the momentum going into his first season in Oakland. The Raiders hope that they get the dominant Justin Tuck this year, and not the one that stood around the line, getting the occasional sack.