Raiders Countdown to Kickoff: 97: Who wore it best, who's wearing it now

Happy Monday, everyone. In case you took the weekend off from Raiders news and are just now joining us, let's get you caught up. We are currently counting down the days until the start of the regular season. As of today, we are at 97 days and to mark that, we discuss the best to don the 97 jersey as well as the player who currently wears it for the team.

Who wore it best: DT  John Parrella (2002-04)

He finished off his NFL career with the Raiders after 8 seasons anchoring the Chargers defensive line. He spent three seasons in Oakland. The first of those seasons, he was a starter for the Raiders in the Super Bowl. It was his only season in which he played in every game as the fulltime starter. In 2003, he was lost to injury after five games. He appeared in all 16 games in 2004, but didn't start and called it a career after that.

Who's wearing it now: DE  Mario Edwards Jr

The team's second round pick this year. He comes with as much skepticism as he does hopes and expectations. The Raiders have had a need at defensive end for quite some time and he is the first one the new regime has drafted higher than the fifth round.

He had just 3.0 sacks last season at Florida State and will be looked upon to step up and garner more pressure than that right away. His weight is down 15-20 pounds from what it was in college and the Raiders are hoping that gives him the extra speed he needs to live up to his draft position. He has a real chance to become the best to ever wear this number for the Raiders.

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