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Every year since 1992, USA Today picks at least one player from every NFL team to be part of their "All Joe Team". This year's Raider player is Nick Roach who started 16 games this season at middle linebacker for the first time in his career.
The criteria for making the team is a player must never have been named to a Pro Bowl. Those who make the team are players USA Today deems to be "the unsung Joes" of the NFL. Those who do "yeoman's work" and facilitate others to have success.
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Here is what they had to say about Nick Roach:
Nick Roach (Raiders): Didn't miss any of Oakland's 1,074 defensive snaps and provided the steady veteran presence the unit sorely needed after arriving from Chicago.
Editor's note: I wasn't aware the Raiders defensive unit had arrived from Chicago at some point, but apparently when they got to Oakland, they were suddenly without a steady veteran presence.
There doesn't appear to be any limit to the number of players that can be named to the team at any position. In total there were five inside linebackers named to the team. The others were Karlos Dansby (Cardinals), Jerrell Freeman (Colts), D'Qwell Jackson (Browns), and Paul Warrilow (Falcons).
There were three players named at the quarterback position - two of whom are former Raiders quarterbacks Matt Flynn (Packers) and Josh McCown (Bears). The other is Colin Kaepernick (49ers).
Raiders to be named to the All Joe team over the past five years have been Michael Huff (2012), Darrius Heyward-Bey (2011), Marcel Reece (2010), Zach Miller (2009), and Johnnie Lee Higgins (2008).
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