Position Check: Assessing Oakland Raiders' Strengths and Weaknesses
Every fanbase would like to believe their team improved over the offseason. Unwavering optimism can cloud reality, which leads to a humbling regular-season outcome. How should we view the Oakland Raiders roster post-free agency?
Raiders fans have multiple reasons to feel optimistic about the upcoming season. According to general manager Reggie McKenzie, per CSN Bay Area reporter Scott Bair, quarterback Derek Carr will fully participate in organized team activities in May.
The team didn’t lose several starters during free agency. Finally, the organization’s draft-day decision makers have hit on players from the first round to undrafted talents.
A playoff-caliber football team utilizes the sum of its parts to produce positive results. The front office must tighten the screws as much as possible at each position. What parts of the roster need help? Where are the team’s strengths?
Quarterback: Strength
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Without question, Carr’s development directly correlated with the Raiders' resurgence as a playoff contender. Between his second and third seasons, he made better decisions with the football, dropping from 13 interceptions to six with 13 fewer pass attempts. As witnessed during the last two regular-season games and a playoff loss, the team doesn’t accomplish much without him.
It’s strange to think of it this way, but backup quarterback Connor Cook has more playoff experience than Carr. The high-pressure moment will serve him well going into his second season. If the franchise’s crown jewel goes down with another injury, Cook should be ready to handle another unforeseen opportunity better than the last.
Offensive coordinator Todd Downing served as EJ Manuel’s quarterback coach during his rookie campaign in 2014. In that season, he threw for 1,972 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Downing can possibly keep the former Bills signal-caller on the roster as a third option on the depth chart. The Raiders need to cover all bases at this position; three quarterbacks started for this team in 2016.
Running Back: Strength
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The Raiders lost running back Latavius Murray, so we should view this position as a weakness, right?
Wrong.
Many quickly note DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard struggled when Murray missed Weeks 5 and 6 with turf toe. The rookie duo combined for 31 carries and 110 rushing yards without scoring a touchdown.
Nonetheless, Oakland’s second-year running backs accounted for 49 percent of the team’s 1,922 rushing yards in 2016. An injury thrust the young ball-carriers into prominent roles early in the season. McKenzie already talked about acquiring a bigger tailback to fill Murray’s role, per San Francisco Chronicle reporter Vic Tafur. More importantly, another full offseason should help develop the young duo already in place.
It’s fair to acknowledge the running back position took a hit due to Murray’s departure, but it’s going too far to view the unit as a weakness. If the newest addition at the position struggles with blocking assignments, Downing may opt to utilize Jamize Olawale to protect Carr in passing situations. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked No. 4 in pass blocking among fullbacks.
Wide Receivers: Strength
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Carr garners the majority of the praise for the Raiders’ ascending passing offense, but he’s aided by quality perimeter talents in wideouts Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. Drops have plagued this group over the past two seasons, which stops analysts short of ranking this receiver group within the top five.
However, Cooper addressed his issues with drops and increased his catch rate from 55.4 to 62.9 percent. Crabtree pulled down some spectacular catches but dropped easy first-down receptions in the second half of the season. He played through a finger injury in December. Nevertheless, he should be held accountable for his play. Still, he’s the primary red-zone threat until a tight end steps up in the passing attack.
Head coach Jack Del Rio stated Cordarrelle Patterson would be involved with the offense as well as special teams, per Tafur, which indicates fellow wideout Seth Roberts must work on his catch consistency or potentially lose targets. He logged a 49.4 percent catch rate in 2016. The competition should bring out the best in both players.
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Tight Ends: Weakness
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The Raiders have multiple questions at tight end coming into the new season. McKenzie revealed his reservations about Clive Walford in the previous year, per Tafur. He sent a direct message when aggressively pursuing veteran tight ends on the free-agent market.
The Raiders haven’t turned the page on Walford, but the front office isn’t giving him a clear pathway to a prominent role in the upcoming season. Jared Cook will certainly eat into the third-year tight end’s snaps and production.
Downing may run two-tight end sets, but it’s not going to be frequent because the team seems to like Roberts as the third receiving option. It may not be smart to take the running back off the field with extra protection needed. Washington and Richard also provide viable short-passing attack options in case Carr wants to dump off a quick pass.
We all remember Cook’s acrobatic, ballerina toe-tap catch in the postseason against the Dallas Cowboys, but he’s not coming off a highly productive campaign as a red-zone target. With quarterback Aaron Rodgers, he caught one touchdown pass on a team that ranked No. 3 in pass-play percentages, per Team Rankings.
Offensive Line: Strength
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It’s said and passed on from network to network, “the Raiders have the best offensive line aside from the Cowboys.”
With that statement, proved by decent rookie seasons in limited action for a seventh-round pick, Vadal Alexander, and an undrafted free agent in Denver Kirkland, the offensive line should be viewed as a strength. In fact, it’s the strongest group on the roster top to bottom.
Three offensive linemen went to the Pro Bowl in 2016. Gabe Jackson displayed his versatility shifting from left to right guard for the first time in his professional career. In the offseason, the team will monitor an open competition at right tackle with various options ranging from newcomer Marshall Newhouse to the incumbent Austin Howard.
There’s a reason the team re-signed offensive line coach Mike Tice. He’a leading a group that keeps Carr’s jersey clean and creates wide lanes for the running backs.
Defensive Line: Weakness
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The Raiders defensive line took a step back in run defense from 2015 to 2016, and it’s not simply due to Mario Edwards Jr. missing all but two games. Opposing offensive linemen pushed Jihad Ward off the line of scrimmage. Dan Williams and Justin Ellis struggled to fill gaps.
The Raiders have depth across the defensive line but not enough players performing at optimal levels as starting talents. Del Rio told Tafur the team will explore adding another asset at the position.
Darius Latham flashed glimpses as a rotational interior lineman but needs more seasoning. Denico Autry pressures the pocket, but he’s whiffed on run defense over the past two seasons.
The Raiders’ front office should consider an impact prospect based on collegiate production instead of potential in the second or third round. As a result, Williams may become an offseason cut.
Linebackers: Weakness
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The Raiders lost talent, missed out on a potential impact player and seem uninterested in re-signing a decent asset at linebacker. It’s the weakest group on the roster, and it took a step back over the past month.
The Raiders signed Jelani Jenkins to fill Malcolm Smith’s spot, but the ex-Miami Dolphin has shown inconsistencies in his play over the past four seasons. After contemplating a decision for an extended period, Zach Brown signed with the Washington Redskins, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Perry Riley put together a solid year as an in-season acquisition, but the team hasn’t re-signed him.
McKenzie may have decided to push all his chips to the middle of the draft table as a solution to address the position. However, Riley would serve as a good alternative plan on the inside in case the team doesn’t draft a starting-caliber linebacker.
At this point, the team doesn’t have a healthy reliable coverage linebacker or player who’s going to handle responsibilities as the defensive quarterback.
Defensive Backs: Weakness
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The Raiders cornerbacks underperformed during the previous season, and the team lost its depth at safety. Keith McGill remains as the only backup behind Reggie Nelson and Karl Joseph.
The Raiders pass defense ranked No. 24 in yards allowed. Many times, spectators watched opposing receivers beat cornerbacks Sean Smith or David Amerson in deep coverage.
Despite signing Smith and Amerson well beyond the 2017 season, the team doesn't owe either player any dead cash after the upcoming campaign. Oakland should consider drafting another eventual starter at the position with a deep incoming cornerback class. At the very least, the prospect would take over for T.J. Carrie, who’s in a contract year.
Nelson will turn 34, and his contract expires at the end of the season, per Spotrac. Nate Allen signed with the Dolphins and Brynden Trawick inked a deal with the Tennessee Titans. Expect the team to select a pair of rookie talents in the upcoming draft.
Special Teams: Strength
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The Raiders will have to do their best to put kicker Sebastian Janikowski inside 50 yards for a field goal. He converted 3-of-8 from that distance in the previous season. The career-long Raider still has an iron leg, but it’s not too accurate.
Punter Marquette King’s booming kicks have forced opposing teams to drive the length of the field, but he must cut down on the antics. Del Rio expressed his displeasure with King’s flags midway through the 2016 season.
Oakland has several players capable of returning kicks on special teams including Washington, Richard and Patterson. The explosive returners should help the offense with field positioning for a consecutive season. Last year, Carr and the offense started from the 31-yard-line on average. A shorter field with added receiving threats should translate to more points in 2017.
Stats provided by NFL.com and Pro-Football-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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