Do the Oakland Raiders deserve the hype they’re given?
By Chris Taylor
The Offense
The Oakland Raiders did win 12 games last season. Starting quarterback Derek Carr is so much better than his brother, and I am not implying that his brother was horrible. Carr continues to get better each year. He also has the team behind him. This year should provide Carr his best season yet with the weapons general manager Reggie McKenzie and head coach Jack Del Rio have surrounded him with, and spreading the ball around should be no issue.
Marshawn Lynch should improve the running game immensely. Even with some time off, his talent alone should give the Raiders a major boost—a boost for a top ten rushing game already. Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington and both respectable backups in the league.
Amari Cooper is a top tier wideout in the NFL. With targets such as Cooper, newly signed tight end Jared Cook, and other wide receivers like Michael Crabtree, Cordarrelle Patterson and Seth Roberts, the offense should be wide open.
The Defense
Khalil Mack, you may have heard of him. He tackles people to the ground really well. Really, really well. If guys like Mario Edwards Jr. can stay healthy, and Bruce Irvin can build on his 2016 campaign, the Raiders front seven should be solid. Sean Smith anchors what should be a quality secondary, especially with younger players like Karl Joseph and Gareon Conley.
Special Teams
Not often is a punter one of the most popular players on the team, but he’s pretty good too. Marquette King deserves the attention for sure. Sebastian Janikowski is no slouch either. The kicking game is as good as it gets in Oakland. The addition of Cordarrelle Patterson will bolster the return game, giving the Raiders better field position and perhaps a score or two.