Getty Oakland Raiders RB Jalen Richard.
Fourth-year running back for the Oakland Raiders Jalen Richard finds himself among a crowded backfield heading into 2019. With the addition of first-round pick Josh Jacobs, Richard will have to fight to make a spot on the roster. Richard has been a solid contributor for the Raiders in his limited action over the last four years. In an effort to maintain his spot on the roster, Richard has been putting on some muscle.
Last year, Richard was listed as weighing 205 pounds, but based on a recent tweet from the man himself, he was playing at 210-212 last season.
His weight gain hasn’t stopped there. In another tweet, Richard was asked what he weighs now and he said he’s at 218.
If that weight gain is in fact from muscle, it could mean that Richard is trying to add more power to his game. Richard has been seen as a speedy, elusive runner during his time in the league, but if he could put on some muscle without losing his explosiveness, he could be a really good number two option for the Raiders.
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Richard has also been seen this offseason doing some rather unorthodox workouts. He recently posted a picture of him riding an exercise bike underwater.
It may seem strange to ride a bike underwater, but apparently, it could be a hot new exercise for athletes. Regardless, Richard will definitely need to impress during training camp if he’s going to maintain a role in the offense. He has a similar skill set to Josh Jacobs, but that could lead to some creative play design options for head coach Jon Gruden.
Richard is still just 25 years old and has made some memorable plays for the Raiders. He’ll have to beat out DeAndre Washington and Chris Warren III if he’s going to guarantee himself a roster spot. Based on what we’ve seen, Richard would have to be considered the leader in that race, but crazy things could happen during training camp and the preseason. Look for Richard to try and show off that new muscle once he straps on the pads.
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