The 2019 NFL season is not even close to beginning, but the Oakland Raiders have already been dealt with a devastating injury as recently-signed running back Isaiah Crowell tore his Achilles tendon during workouts and will miss the entire 2019-20 season.
Luckily for the Raiders, then spent a first-round draft pick on Alabama running back Josh Jacobs, so they are only losing their primary backup as opposed to a bell-cow.
Crowell still needs to be replaced though, and it appears that the Raiders have not wasted any time doing that. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the team is reportedly set to re-sign Doug Martin:
The #Raiders are bringing back RB Doug Martin, sources tell me and @wyche89. Martin ran got 723 yards with Oakland last year. Rejoins the team following the loss of Isaiah Crowell.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) May 1, 2019
The season that the Raiders decided to sign Crowell instead of Martin in the first place reportedly had to do with Martin’s asking price, so that must have come done if the two sides were able to come to an agreement. It likely will end up being a one-year contract.
Martin appeared in all 16 games for the Raiders last year, starting nine of them after Marshawn Lynch got injured. He totaled 172 carries for 723 yards, good for 4.2 yards per carry while scoring four touchdowns. He also added 18 receptions for 116 yards.
Jacobs is still expected to be the team’s starter, but adding a veteran like Martin to help spell him while also potentially serving as a mentor should help out the Raiders offense a lot this coming season in the wake of Crowell’s injury.
