Critics who look at the Oakland Raiders and point to a chaos factor have another argument at their disposal. On Tuesday, the Silver and Black added offensive guard Richie Incognito, furthering muddying an identity Oakland was looking to clarify. It also begs more questions than answers for a player the team could have done just fine without.
Incognito is a talented player and is already practicing with the first team. As expected, the addition is drawing the ire of those who think he's a retread best left on the streets.
The Raiders are not a team shy to roll the dice and the NFL knows this. Pick a season, any season, and some team is willing to add a player of questionable character. Incognito is just the latest and best example.
Oakland hasn't helped themselves either. Finding an identity seems to be a complicated proposition in the East Bay, especially for a team testing several. For those who fancy themselves the moral compass of the league, the Mike Florio’s or the Colin Cowherd who are not GM’s only because of TV and radio gigs, the Raiders are predictably dysfunctional. For those part of the social media mob, Incognito being employed is simply unacceptable.
"You have a locker room now with Vontaze Burfict, Antonio Brown and Richie Incognito. What's next are you going to sign Gary Busey as a punter? Charlie Sheen as a linebacker? What's the plan?@ColinCowherd on the multiple Raiders offseason plans pic.twitter.com/iCcf2w3NtO
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 28, 2019
That said, the NFL, despite a litany of issues, hasn't banned Incognito. The Raiders could be without him should the league decide to impose a suspension for a 2019 guilty plea for disorderly conduct. Hardly the way the team or Incognito would want to begin the season. The length of a suspension could also take into account the numerous issues Incognito has had previously.
In some ways, it almost feels like Oakland went out if its way to create a distraction it simply didn't need. When added to a locker room filled with the likes of Vontaze Burfict and Antonio Brown, the math seems hard to understand.
Heading into the NFL Draft, it looked like Oakland was stabilizing a franchise that was more questions than answers. They drafted players from quality programs to present a different image of the Silver and Black. Adding Incognito invites a differing opinion.
Going back to 2005 when the then St. Louis Rams drafted him, the warning signs were evident. Incognito's stint there was short, as he'd be gone after three seasons. Incognito would eventually make his way to the Dolphins after a short stay in Buffalo. The Miami move looked to be a good one, but a charity golf event where he would harass a female volunteer resulted in a civil lawsuit and a $55,000.00 fine from the team.
Most infamous is the hazing and harassment issue involving Jonathan Martin. A subsequent investigation also found Incognito and fellow teammates using racial slurs and taunting a trainer.
In May of 2018, Incognito would himself be the subject of an involuntary psychiatric hold stemming from an incident at a Florida gym. That was followed by an ugly episode at a funeral home where he threatened employees with a gun while making arrangements for his father.
While the Raiders have drawn the criticism from those who always think they know better, that ire may be better placed at the door of the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell. Then again, why? Oakland can and should be able to employ anyone it chooses who is available and Incognito was available. If the league had found him so undesirable and not one they wanted representing the league, they could have made such a decision. They have not.
All this comes back to the point that the NFL doesn't seem to know what to do, if anything, about players who are historically questionable. It's not lost that the greater the talent, the longer the leash. Having been out of the league, it's fair to wonder if he has any game left. If he can contribute at a high level, fans in Oakland simply won't care.
It's not hard to imagine this could be the last stop for Richie Incognito. At age 35, he'll be 36 in July, no one really knows how much he has left. If he makes the roster, serves out whatever suspension may be out there, it should be case closed.
Whatever happens in Oakland this season, the clock is ticking on a career winding down. Incognito has, by and large, written the epitaph that will define his career. With more low-lights than anything else, the Raiders decided to roll the dice on a low character individual because they still believe he can help them.
Criticize the Raiders all you want for picking this guy off of the trash heap for his character issues. But the better criticism may be why take a chance on a guy who's best days, if you can call them that, are firmly in his past.
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