Predicting the Raiders' Starting Lineup After the 1st Wave of Free Agency
The first week of free agency brought some much-needed changes for the Oakland Raiders.
The significance of the upgrades are debatable, but general manager Reggie McKenzie signed some solid free agents who will likely start in the 2015 season.
The NFL calendar has just started a new year, and there will be more changes to come for the Raiders. For now, here is a current look at the starting lineup with notable expected changes for the Silver and Black.
Quarterback: Derek Carr
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No surprises here.
Derek Carr will enter his sophomore season after displaying much potential as a franchise quarterback as a rookie.
According to the Raiders' official website, Carr will have a new backup in former first-round pick Christian Ponder.
Carr could take a giant step forward in his sophomore year, but McKenzie has yet to upgrade his offensive weapons this offseason. Albeit, he has upgraded the line protection by signing center Rodney Hudson and blocking tight end Lee Smith.
Running Back: Latavius Murray
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Latavius Murray remains at the top of the running back depth chart even with the addition of Roy Helu.
Helu is a career backup and will likely contribute with sporadic goal-line carries and short catches out of the backfield as an extra wrinkle to the offense.
If the Raiders draft an RB within the first three rounds of the draft, expect Murray to handle two-thirds of the carries with a rookie splitting a third with Helu.
Wide Receivers: James Jones/Andre Holmes
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Raider Nation awaits a new playmaker for Carr.
McKenzie hinted a new receiver could be on the way within a couple of weeks via free agency, per The Associated Press writer Josh Dubow (via Yahoo Sports):
"McKenzie said he would still like to add playmakers for Carr on offense, most notably at receiver in the next few weeks. Oakland also has the fourth overall pick next month in a draft that has several elite receivers.
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Stevie Johnson, Dwayne Bowe and Greg Jennings are all still available, per Spotrac.com.
Most would anticipate the Raiders drafting high on a wide receiver. Amari Cooper and Kevin White are still the top two receivers in the draft and a likely choice to upgrade Oakland’s average receiver corps.
Right now, the Raiders have James Jones and Andre Holmes atop the WR depth chart, but expect Holmes to shift to the slot after the draft.
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Tight End: Mychal Rivera
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It’s clear the Raiders are attempting to upgrade the tight end position. Jermaine Gresham came in for a visit, but talks have since subsided, per Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle via Twitter.
Mychal Rivera had a decent season as a receiver with 534 receiving yards and four touchdowns. However, he was one of the worst blocking tight ends in the league, per Pro Football Focus.
Mckenzie obviously wants a starting TE who will be able to protect his QB when necessary.
Offensive Tackles: Donald Penn/Menelik Watson
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Donald Penn and Menelik Watson are still the projected starting tackles at this point, but that will change after the draft.
McKenzie has already shared his plan to move Austin Howard back to his natural position at tackle. The move would displace Watson who struggled last season at the position.
Expect a second- or third-round pick to initiate the transition within the offensive line.
Offensive Guards: Gabe Jackson/Austin Howard
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Gabe Jackson had a solid year as an interior lineman and will maintain his starting position.
As previously mentioned, the other guard will not be Howard. The Raiders will likely start another rookie guard to begin the season as they had done in 2014.
Center: Rodney Hudson
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Stefen Wisniewski's departure stings a lot less considering Rodney Hudson was rated the third-best center in the league, per PFF.
Hudson will come in and become the signal-caller and anchor of the offensive line responsible for keeping Carr’s jersey as clean as possible.
Kicker: Sebastian Janikowski
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Sebastian Janikowski is a staple in Oakland as he enters his 16th year in a Raiders uniform.
Kicker Giorgio Tavecchio was signed on February 24 and could be the heir to the position if Janikowski retires in the near future or becomes ineffective in the kicking game.
Defensive Ends: Justin Tuck
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This is the weakest position on the roster outside of WR. Justin Tuck, 31, is a veteran leader but on the decline as a starter.
A rookie from the draft will make his debut on the opposite side. C.J. Wilson played opposite Tuck in 2014—he won't return to Oakland in 2015.
The rookie starter opposite Tuck could be Dante Fowler Jr. (Florida), Shane Ray (Missouri) or in my personal opinion should be Alvin Dupree (Kentucky).
Defensive Tackles: Justin Ellis/Dan Williams
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Rookie Justin Ellis will be paired with Dan Williams. To the dismay of many, it’s not Ndamukong Suh or Terrance Knighton, but it's still a solid pickup.
Williams has run-stopping numbers comparable to Knighton, per PFF, and was a cost-effective alternative to “Pot Roast” in the middle.
The heart of the defensive line won’t yield another 119.4 yards per game in the 2015 season.
Outside Linebackers: Sio Moore/Khalil Mack
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The strongest unit on the roster will remain the same.
Sio Moore and Khalil Mack will continue taking steps forward as young leaders through on-field production in 2015.
Moore and Mack are a young duo that will benefit from a stronger pair of nose tackles. A better defensive front means less ball-carriers breaking through the line, forcing outside linebackers to play further into the box.
Don’t be surprised to see Moore and Mack sharpen their coverage skills on tight ends and intermediate pass plays this season.
Middle Linebacker: Curtis Lofton
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Signing Curtis Lofton is a huge deal for the Raiders.
Moore in just his second year and Mack as a rookie need a veteran to quarterback the defense as an on-field defensive coordinator.
Lofton, a seven-year veteran can certainly elevate the play of the linebackers and the defensive front.
Before some defensively inept years in New Orleans, he was the defensive centerpiece of the Atlanta Falcons’ resurgence as playoff contenders from 2008-2011.
Cornerbacks: D.J. Hayden/Travis Carrie
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Oakland won't retain either of its 2014 starting cornerbacks.
The replacements, D.J. Hayden and Travis Carrie, played well in relief of their veteran counterparts, but can they sustain that level of production?
Hayden is facing a pivotal third year as a former first-round pick. Carrie, a rookie, could prove to be a steal in the 2014 draft as a seventh-round pick.
There’s still a possibility McKenzie signs a veteran CB in case the young defensive backs falter. Tramon Williams and Patrick Robinson are both still available and would likely step into the starting lineup in place of Carrie.
McKenzie likes his Green Bay guys, so Williams could be someone to keep an eye on for the remainder of free agency.
Safeties: Nate Allen/Charles Woodson
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Nate Allen will come in and immediately overtake the starting position over Brandian Ross. Ross played well in 2014, but Allen is a solid veteran safety with exceptional coverage skills.
In 2014, he caught four interceptions, and that will be the reason he’ll take the field in Week 1 alongside safety Charles Woodson.
The Raiders need to force some turnovers in the secondary—they’ll also still have cover the likes of Demaryius Thomas in Denver and Jeremy Maclin in Kansas City, per the Chiefs' official website.
Both Allen and Woodson have the coverage skills to provide some red-zone resistance, coverage down the seam and coverage deep down the middle of the field.
Punter: Marquette King
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The Raiders signed punter Steven Clark, but he doesn’t have much of resume in the league. Expect Marquette King to remain the starter in 2015.
King enters his third season in Oakland and isn’t in any real danger of losing his position.
Send a tweet to Maurice's twitter about your thoughts on the Raiders starting lineup thus far. He'll also tweet about possible moves, including the latest rumors on Stevie Johnson, Dwayne Bowe, Greg Jennings and Tramon Williams.
Advanced statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com, Pro Football Focus and ESPN.com.
All Raiders free-agent signings verified via the team's official website.
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