Las Vegas Raiders Profile: Right Guard Gabe Jackson
In the past, I’ve previewed every opponent for the Raiders this season and profiled every coach.
As we inch closer to Week 1, I am now profiling every player on the Raiders roster.
Today, we’re profiling right guard Gabe Jackson.
Struggling with Injury
Right guard Gabe Jackson has been a Raider since he joined the league in 2014. Drafted in the third round of the 2014 Draft, the 6-foot-3, 335-pound guard was coming off an exceptional career for the Bulldogs. At Mississippi State, Jackson was a two-time All-American selection and two-time All-SEC recipient.
He started all 52 games as left guard.
When he arrived at the Raiders, Jackson immediately got to work. He started Week 1 as a rookie and continued to start for 11 other games. He missed four games due to a knee injury.
Jackson would avoid injuries for the next couple of years. He would continue improving on the field by not recording a single holding penalty in 2015 and two years later, helping his offense record over 500 yards in a single game, a feat not done since Week 9 of the 2013 season.
However, in 2018, he started in all 13 games before injuring his elbow in Week 14. He would remain on the injured reserve list for the rest of the season.
Last year, Jackson suffered an MCL injury in training camp, leaving him off the field. He returned in Week 7 against the Packers and played the rest of the season. He helped limit quarterback Derek Carr’s sack total to 29 sacks, which was tied for fourth-fewest among quarterbacks in the league.
During the off-season, many wondered whether Jackson would stay with the Raiders or get traded, since his contract didn’t guarantee his stay with the Silver and Black. On top of that, the Raiders drafted Clemson guard John Simpson in the fourth round, who could potentially be the new starting right guard for the Raiders.
However, general manager Mike Mayock says Jackson will keep his starting job this season.
“He’s our starting right guard,” Mayock said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “That’s exactly what it says.”
What many should expect this season is for a healthy battle between Jackson and Simpson in right guard in order to find the right protection for Carr and running back Josh Jacobs.
Tell us what you think in the comment section below.
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