LaMont Jordan Maurice Morris Jonathan Wells Chester Taylor

Since a 2003 unit that included running backs Charlie Garner and Tyrone Wheatley, the have had very little depth at the running back position. In addition, the 2004 version of the Raiders had no true starting running back. Journeyman Amos Zereoue topped the unproductive list with 112 carries for just 425 yards and three touchdowns, and of the six rushers who touched the football that year, only ten touchdowns were scored. So nobody was very surprised Oakland finished the year with the 32nd rushing offense in the NFL with just 80.9 yards per game. In 2005, the front office went out and attempted to fix this problem. And, while great strides were made, the end result was nothing extraordinary. After four years with the New York Jets, LaMont Jordan signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract that included a $7 million signing bonus, but after all was said and done, Jordan finished the 2005 season with 1,025 yards and nine touchdowns on 272 carries. And although that seems almost obsolete in a new NFL era that showcases 1,500+ yard backs, it is a great step for an Oakland organization that hasn't been able to separate their feature running back's yardage total with a comma since the year 2000-when Tyrone Wheatley rushed for one thousand (comma) and forty-six yards.What's the next step to improving an already improved rushing game? Develop the supporting cast behind your feature back. Last season, the second rusher listed on the depth chart behind Jordan was Zack Crockett-a former running back, converted to fullback. Crockett - who is still on the borderline of becoming a free agent - began his career as a halfback with the Indianapolis Colts. He then moved onto the Jacksonville Jaguars for a short one-year stint, and has been with the Raiders ever since. The 2005 season was Crockett's seventh year with the team and first as a true backup running back. The 11-year veteran, however, is physically equipped for fullback situational runs. As Crockett proved through the 2000-2003 seasons, he has the ability to cash-in on short yardage situations, scoring 28 touchdowns - by and large under the expanse of three yards. But that's about as far as his limits extend-he is a great short yardage back, but far from an all-purpose back.The closest thing to a backup on the roster then would be 26-year old speedster Justin Fargas. Fargas was drafted out of USC with the last pick in the third round of the 2003 draft. However, since his highly successful 2003 preseason he has been unable to produce for the Raiders. Much of the reason for this inefficiency has been due to injury. In November of the 2003 season, Fargas was placed on the injured reserve due to an injured MCL in his left knee; in 2004, he was nagged with constant toe problems and missed four games; and in 2005, he suffered from knee and hamstring setbacks, which caused him to miss two games. In his career, Fargas has just 80 carries for 357 yards and one touchdown. Up to this point in his career, he can be regarded as only a big question mark-and that's the last thing the Raiders need to add to the mix.So, it's time to go out and do what the Raiders do best-sign somebody. And although a player like Marshall Faulk would be alluring, he is not the best fit for Oakland, especially financially. To fill the second running back spot, Maurice Morris, Jonathan Wells, or Chester Taylor would be much better fits.Maurice Morris played his last two seasons behind the NFL's 2005 most valuable player, Shaun Alexander. However, in the limited action that he saw, he displayed a great upside. Listed at 5'11", 202 pounds, Morris has carried the ball 171 times in his four-year career for 806 yards and a touchdown. And although the yardage total seems diminutive for four years in the NFL, his 4.7 yards per carry rushing average helps to put his capabilities in perspective. And with Shaun Alexander's recent $62 million re-signing, Morris' stock has gone up. He has already drawn strong interest from the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings. If the Raiders were smart, though, they would join the class of interest and take some time to look at the 26-year old.If Morris re-signs or goes elsewhere, Jonathan Wells could fit nicely into Oakland's system. Wells has spent his first four seasons with the Houston Texans. In those years with the Texans, he carried the ball 374 times for 1,167 yards and ten touchdowns. On his career, he has averaged 3.1 yards per carry, but has been subject to running behind the perennially-weak offensive line of the Texans. Listed at 6'1", 262 pounds, Wells will likely be thrown from the Texans gameplan all together with the arrival of Reggie Bush. And with Domanick Davis locked into a long-term deal, Wells' chance of returning seems slim-to-none.The final possible option for Oakland could be Ravens running back Chester Taylor. In four seasons with Baltimore, Taylor gained 1,599 yards on 373 attempts and four touchdowns. Those numbers are good for an impressive 4.3 yards per carry average. He also possesses a great receiving upside, catching 105 career passes for 737 yards-41 of which he caught in 2005. And although the Ravens have shown interest in keeping Taylor, the 5'11" back has a great chance of sneaking into the market.Overall, the 2006 free agent pool runs deep for running backs. Luckily for the , this may give them the opportunity to snatch up a quality runner to relieve the duties of workhorse LaMont Jordan. But with the recent confusion surrounding the new CBA proposal, a twisty road of uncertainty lies ahead-for now.