If you look at the Vegas odds, the Oakland Raiders are currently sitting at 11/1 to win Super Bowl LII. That’s the second best odds for an AFC team after the New England Patriots (they’re 13/4). There’s plenty of reason for fans and bettors to come into the 2017 season with plenty of optimism. This was one of the best teams in the league last season that saw its postseason chances derailed by a late-season broken leg suffered by Derek Carr.
There weren’t a lot of holes on this team heading into the off-season, but as usual, the good squads are raided of their free agents. This homegrown Raiders team did some raiding of its own too. How did head coach Jack Del Rio and general manager weather the storm? Let’s take a look.
Free Agents Kept
Jon Condo, Long Snapper
Free Agents/Players Gained
Jared Cook, Tight End, formerly of the Green Bay Packers
Jelani Jenkins, Outside Linebacker, formerly of the Miami Dolphins
Marshall Newhouse, Offensive Tackle, formerly of the New York Giants
Cordarelle Patterson, Wide Receiver, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings
Marshawn Lynch, Running Back, acquired in a trade from the Seattle Seahawks
Free Agents/Players Lost
Nate Allen, Safety, signed with the Miami Dolphins
Daren Bates, Linebacker, signed with the Tennessee Titans
D.J. Hayden, Cornerback, signed with the Detroit Lions
Stacy McGee, Defensive Tackle, signed with the Washington Redskins
Latavius Murray, Running Back, signed with the Minnesota Vikings
Malcolm Smith, Outside Linebacker, signed with the San Francisco 49ers
Menelik Watson, Offensive Tackle, signed with the Denver Broncos
Takoby Cofield, Offensive Tackle, still a free agent
Garrett Gilbert, Quarterback, signed with the Carolina Panthers
2017 NFL Draft
Round 1: Gareon Conley, Cornerback, LSU
Round 2: Obi Melifonwu, Safety, UConn
Round 3: Eddie Vanderdoes, Defensive Tackle, UCLA
Round 4: David Sharpe, Offensive Tackle, Florida
Round 5: Marquel Lee, Linebacker, Wake Forest
Round 7: Shalom Luani, Safety, Washington State
Round 7: Jylan Ware, Offensive Tackle, Alabama State
Round 7: Elijah Hood, Running Back, North Carolina
Round 7: Treyvon Hester, Defensive Tackle, Toledo
Proposed Offensive Starters
QB: Derek Carr
RB: Marshawn Lynch
WR: Amari Cooper
WR: Michael Crabtree
WR: Seth Roberts
TE: Jared Cook
LT: Donald Penn
RT: Marshall Newhouse
LG: Kelechi Osemele
RG: Gabe Jackson
C: Rodney Hudson
Offensive Outlook
Last season the Raiders finished as the No. 7 offense in points scored and the No. 6 offense in yardage, but those stats are deceiving. If Derek Carr doesn’t go down in Week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts, both would be higher. The Raiders were not only fighting for the AFC West, but for home field advantage (if the New England Patriots had lost in the final week. They did not). Carr is a difference maker and is getting paid like one now. As long as he’s healthy, the Raiders have a shot.
Oakland makes just one change up front this season, with free agent acquisition Marshall Newhouse taking over at right tackle. They’re solid down the line and after losing Manelik Watson in free agency, wasted no time in finding a replacement who should be just as good.
At wideout, the Raiders have a budding superstar in Amari Cooper and a solid No. 2 in Michael Crabtree. Cooper has opened his career with two consecutive 1,000 yard seasons and, barring injury, will make it three. Crabtree is the perfect compliment to Cooper and has posted two of his best seasons as a pro since joining Oakland in 2015. He caught 89 passes for 1,003 yards and eight TDs last season. That was only the second 1,000-yard season of his career. Seth Roberts hasn’t seen a lot of balls thrown his way as the slot guy, but still managed five touchdowns last year. Jared Cook will take over at tight end. From a talent standpoint, Cook is a solid upgrade for the Raiders, but his hand issues at times can be frustrating. Don’t let his freakish catch against the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs fool you.
The story of the off-season for Oakland was the return of Beast Mode, running back Marshawn Lynch. Every report is saying he looks like his old self, and if that’s true the Raiders system might even be a better fit for him than the one he dominated in with the Seattle Seahawks.
Proposed Defensive Starters
DE: Mario Edwards, Jr.
DE: Khalil Mack
DT: Darius Latham
DT: Justin Ellis
OLB: Bruce Irvin
OLB: Jelani Jenkins
MLB: Cory James
CB: David Amerson
CB: Sean Smith
FS: Reggie Nelson
SS: Karl Joseph
Defensive Outlook
All but two starters return from last season’s defense. Stat-wise, this unit underperformed. Darius Latham will at least start the season as the new defensive tackle, but the Raiders drafted Eddie Vanderdoes for this job and the sooner he can take it over, the better. Obviously the Raiders are solid at the defensive end spots. Mario Edwards Jr. returns after a season on injured reserve to add some rush from the other edge and open up things for Khalil Mack, one of the best players in all of football.
At linebacker, Corey James started five games at middle linebacker last year and should keep that job. Bruce Irvin is an underrated player that can play conventional outside linebacker and rush the passer. He had 57 tackles and seven sacks last season to go with six forced fumbles, six passes defended and an interception. Jelani Jenkins moves over from the Miami Dolphins at the other outside linebacker spot after an injury-riddled tenure.
The starting defensive backfield remains the same, with Karl Joseph and Reggie Nelson making one of the league’s better safety tandems. David Amerson was third on the team in tackles last season, which is not what you want. He had 64 to go with 16 passes defended and two picks. Sean Smith was solid as well, with 40 tackles, 11 passes defended and two picks of his own. First round pick Gareon Conley will eventually take one of their jobs, but to open the season he’ll start in the slot. Second round pick Obi Melifonwu is the long term replacement for Nelson, who is about to open his 12th season in the league.
Grade: B-
The Raiders are a good team that should return to the postseason and compete for it all. Signing Lynch is the only significant move they made this off-season other than a solid draft.
O/U wins: 11.5
Preseason Schedule
Week 1: at Arizona Cardinals
Week 2: Los Angeles Rams
Week 3: at Dallas Cowboys
Week 4: Seattle Seahawks
Regular Season Schedule
Week 1: at Tennessee Titans
Week 2: New York Jets
Week 3: at Washington Redskins
Week 4: at Denver Broncos
Week 5: Baltimore Ravens
Week 6: Los Angeles Chargers
Week 7: Kansas City Chiefs
Week 8: at Buffalo Bills
Week 9: at Miami Dolphins
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: New England Patriots
Key game: The Raiders are one team that can derail the New England Patriots back-to-back Super Bowl plans. Getting the Pats at home after a bye could come into play at the end of the season with home field advantage.
Week 12: Denver Broncos
Week 13: New York Giants
Week 14: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 15: Dallas Cowboys
Week 16: at Philadelphia Eagles
Week 17: at Los Angeles Chargers
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