Raiders make brief checklist of NFL offseason’s greatest winners
There’s some noticeable optimism in Raider Nation proper now. Although, after greater than 20 years with no playoff win, I can think about many Raiders followers have a nagging voice someplace behind their thoughts that begs the query ‘Is that this simply my biased fan viewpoint? I have been burnt so many occasions’ To greatest technique to reply that query is to be open minded and search non-biased sources. Maybe trying to a nationwide supply evaluating the Raiders offseason to that of the remainder of the league.
Mike Jones of The Athletic put collectively their greatest winners and losers of this offseason. 5 of every. And would not you realize it, the Raiders landed among the many winners.
“The Raiders?” you ask. Sure. The Raiders. One more reset simply would possibly repay in a giant means, beginning close to the highest, the place Tom Brady lured extremely regarded Tampa Bay expertise evaluator John Spytek to the desert to be normal supervisor. The Raiders needed Liam Coen to be their head coach, however wound up with Pete Carroll, who — given the state of the franchise — might be higher fitted to the job anyway.
These two figures carry management and credibility. They discovered a solution at quarterback, buying and selling for Geno Smith to unravel the long-running want for stability at this place, after which landed a possible difference-maker in rookie working again Ashton Jeanty. The Raiders aren’t going to leap all the best way to the highest of the AFC West standings. They could not leapfrog both of their steadily bettering division rivals (the Broncos and Chargers), however the Raiders seemingly are taking a look at their most practical shot at bettering in a very long time.
The opposite 4 groups talked about as winners have been the Eagles, Vikings, Patriots, and Bears.
It might be robust to learn Jones’s evaluation as that of a giant winner. Particularly when he appears to be suggesting the Raiders will nonetheless be the worst within the division. However Rome wasn’t in-built a day. The Raiders are clearly heading in the right direction to catch up and possibly even surpass their rivals in one of many hardest divisions in soccer.
They checked lots of packing containers this offseason when it comes to areas they wanted to enhance. Jones pinpointed the large ones at GM, head coach, quarterback, and working again. Different areas have improved as nicely, together with the line of defense if solely by advantage of Christian Wilkins and Malcolm Koonce coming back from damage, but in addition with the long run extensions handed out to Maxx Crosby and Adam Butler. Whereas the one space that you may argue could have taken a step again is the secondary.