Darren McFadden, Terrelle Pryor and Offensive Uncertainty in Raiders Future

Through nine games of ups and downs that have defined the Oakland Raiders so far in 2013, it is the team's offense that has the most uncertainty, and thus questions that must be answered moving forward.

The defensive side of the ball, although experiencing some periods of inconsistency, seems to be on the right track. Adding a few pieces to both the defensive front and back end this offseason could easily vault this unit into a top-10 defense.

The offense on the other hand, aside from a few big plays that have helped keep the team competitive, has been incredibly inconsistent.

All too often the group will get off to a hot start, flash some playmaking ability, only to sputter in the second half. Whether that comes down to players not executing for four quarters, opposing defenses figuring out the Raiders' offensive game plans or a combination of the two, improvements need to be made.

As a result, the Raiders have plenty of decisions to make on this side of the ball. Fortunately, due to a full slate of draft selections in 2014, as well as an increase in salary cap space set to take effect this offseason, they will have plenty of options from which to choose.

The most important of these upcoming decisions surround the offense's two best playmakers, Darren McFadden and Terrelle Pryor.

In the final year of his rookie contract, McFadden is set to become a free agent at the end of this season.

If the decision to re-sign him were based on talent alone, it would be an easy one. When healthy, and in the right system, McFadden has proven to be an every-down back that an offense can build around.

The problem exists with McFadden's durability, and as a direct result of which, his reliability.

One cannot question his toughness as a runner, as he seemingly dishes out as many hits as he takes, but at the end of the day, fluke injuries or not, NFL teams need to depend on their elite players to be on the field.

It has undoubtedly been a frustrating few years for both McFadden and the Raiders, now leaving both sides with some decisions to be made in the offseason.

Durability concerns could very well end up affecting McFadden's price on the open market, thus driving his cost way down. If so, expect the Raiders to be even more inclined to re-sign him, continuing to gamble that he will indeed put together a full season.

Certainly they would look to add depth around McFadden, including re-signing Rashad Jennings, but McFadden is still young, and the gamble could pay off substantially if he can stay healthy as the Raiders look to improve the offensive line as well.

Adding to the offensive uncertainty is the case of the athletically elite, but still developing quarterback, Terrelle Pryor.

After a hot start to the season that had many thinking Pryor could very well be the Raiders' franchise quarterback, his performances in recent games have led to those sentiments subsiding.

There is no doubt that Pryor is as athletically gifted as any quarterback in the league, and we see as much on a weekly basis. This gives him quite a high ceiling as an NFL player, as it would be tough to place a limit on just how good he could one day be.

However, the slowing of his play, and what some would consider an alarming regression as a passer, raises some difficult questions that the Raiders will need to consider.

As is the case with any player that has success in the NFL, opposing teams will make adjustments and game plan specifically for that player.

Teams have certainly done that to this point, evidently keying on Pryor's tendencies and doing their best to take him out of his comfort zone both as a passer and as a runner. This kind of struggle is common for a young quarterback as defenses adjust, but what the Raiders will have to decide, based on their evaluations, is if Pryor is a player capable of making counter adjustments.

He should be given every game to prove as much this season and every opportunity to retain his starting role with the team moving forward.

If his struggles over the past few weeks continue over the team's remaining seven games, the Raiders would be forced, at the very least, to add some competition at the position. And if the Raiders were to get a high draft selection in the first round of next May's draft, taking a quarterback could not be ruled out either.

On the other hand, if Pryor's play improves over the second half of the 2013 season, it will probably be because he was able to make the necessary adjustments and continue his growth as a quarterback.

In such a situation, the Raiders would be more than justified in moving forward with him as a player to build their offense around. If his athletic ability and the improvements he made in just one offseason are any indication, such a situation playing out is extremely possible.

Beyond McFadden and Pryor, there are still plenty of questions that surround the Raiders' offensive unit.

While Denarius Moore and Rod Streater are young talents who have proven capable of production, the wide receiver group could still stand to add another primary target. Doing so would create a solid foundation for either Pryor or another quarterback, but it remains to be seen how or if the Raiders will look to upgrade at this spot.

Tight end remains an interesting discussion point, and unless a proven veteran becomes available at the right price via trade or free agency this offseason, the Raiders should see how their current players develop.

Losing David Ausberry for the season was difficult, as this was supposed to be the year that he was to take over the starting job. He should be given another chance in 2014, but the young combination of Mychal Rivera and Nick Kasa will be right there as well. Both players may just need time to acclimate themselves to the NFL game, as their skill sets are promising.

Although the offensive line gets plenty of the blame for the Raiders struggles so far in 2013, this group may just provide the most certainty out of the positional units on Oakland's offense.

The Raiders will do their best to re-sign left tackle Jared Veldheer this offseason, as he has become one of the team's best players overall. Veldheer on the left side, Stefen Wisniewski at center and Menelik Watson at right tackle give the Raiders a foundation upon which to build. Of course, the guard positions will be a priority in free agency and the draft, and if upgrades can be made, the offensive line could become a team strength for the first time in recent memory.

Overall, the Raiders have some tough decisions to make in what will be a very important offseason in their rebuilding process.

Fortunately for general manager Reggie McKenzie and head coach Dennis Allen, they will have plenty of options with which to address any of the team's personnel needs.

While the defense is headed in the right direction, this Raiders offense has the potential to look very different by the time the 2014 season rolls around.

With the Raiders now having an abundance of draft selections and the financial flexibility to make significant changes in just one offseason, how the offense performs in the last seven games of 2013 will go a long way toward dictating some of the team's key decisions to be made moving forward.