The 2012 running back market has never really gotten going, leaving Oakland Raiders free-agent running back Michael Bush without a destination nine days into free agency. He has been making the rounds, handling visits with teams like the Cardinals, Bengals, Bears and possibly Seahawks. None of the meetings has resulted in a contract, and the wait continues to see where arguably the best available back ends up.
If the Oakland Raiders lose Michael Bush, as many had expected prior to free agency, they would be rather thin at the position, particularly in light of Darren McFadden's injury history. However, if the market continues to stay slow, is it possible Michael Bush could return to Oakland for 2012? Steve Corkran speculated as much, although it was simply in response to a fan tweet about what was up with Bush.
Although Darren McFadden is incredibly talented, his injuries have provided plenty of opportunities for Michael Bush to get a decent amount of carries. Bush took over the starting job this past year in week seven after McFadden injured his foot against the Chiefs. However, even before then he always received a sizable load to complement McFadden. Although the Raiders cannot afford to hand out a monster contract to Bush, paying him more than the normal backup would not be the craziest idea in the world.