One is a veteran NFL journeyman with four franchises and 45 career starts to his name, the other is a former second-round pick who has appeared in just 17 games, starting 12, in his two-year NFL career, but Oakland Raiders offensive linemen J'Marcus Webb and Menelik Watson do have something in common besides playing on the same Raiders unit tasked with protecting franchise quarterback Derek Carr and opening holes for Latavius Murray.
According to a recent report from Bill Wiliamson of ESPN, Webb and Watson may have starting spots in their immediate future.
"If I had to guess, Webb wins RG and Watson beats out Howard at RT. Will go to camp to figure out, but they are favorites now. #Raiders"
Webb, a former seventh-round pick of the Chicago Bears, has bounced between positions along the offensive line almost as many times as he's bounced from NFL homes. After being chest-bumped and verbally abused by Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and shortly thereafter losing his starting spot in Chicago, Webb was placed on waivers and claimed by the Minnesota Vikings. After two forgettable seasons in Minnesota - including being waived, signing with Kansas City, being cut by the Chiefs before the regular season and then resigning with Minnesota - Webb landed with the Raiders this offseason.
Webb has a little something going for him as he looks to move past Khalif Barnes, as he previously played under current Oakland offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave with the Vikings during the 2013 NFL season.
The 6-foot-7, 333-pound Webb has, perhaps, been miscast as a tackle for the entirety of his NFL career to this point - at least that has to be the hope for Musgrave and new Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio. Webb has been taking first team reps at right guard at Raiders OTAs recently, per SilverAndBlackPride.com.
"I don't think he played guard in a game for him before, but he's playing guard for us," said Del Rio. "He's been playing guard all spring for us. He's really playing four spots. He's playing both guards and both tackles. We'll find out how that fits, but he's one of the guys that's over there competing on that right side."
As for Watson, the former second-rounder struggled to keep hold of a starting spot last year due to injuries and ineffective play. He was replaced by Barnes at right tackle in early Sep. last year despite a reported "hope" from the franchise that Watson would be able to lock that spot down.
A concussion in Week 10 effectively sealed the futility of his season and the 6-foot-5, 315-pound Watson was left to look toward 2015 as his chance to reassert himself along the Raiders offensive front.
If Williamson is correct, Watson could join fellow early 2013 draft pick D.J. Hayden on his quest to justify his lofty draft status and along with Webb, help shore up an Oakland offensive line that has too-often failed to protect quarterbacks and open holes in the running game in recent seasons.
