There is some noticeable optimism in Raider Nation right now. Though, after more than two decades without a playoff win, I can imagine many Raiders fans have a nagging voice somewhere in the back of their mind that begs the question ‘Is this just my biased fan viewpoint? I’ve been burnt so many times’ To best way to answer that question is to be open minded and seek non-biased sources. Perhaps looking to a national source comparing the Raiders offseason to that of the rest of the league.
Mike Jones of The Athletic put together their biggest winners and losers of this offseason. Five of each. And wouldn’t you know it, the Raiders landed among the winners.
“The Raiders?” you ask. Yes. The Raiders. Yet another reset just might pay off in a big way, starting near the top, where Tom Brady lured highly regarded Tampa Bay talent evaluator John Spytek to the desert to be general manager. The Raiders wanted Liam Coen to be their head coach, but wound up with Pete Carroll, who — given the state of the franchise — is probably better suited for the job anyway.
These two figures bring leadership and credibility. They found an answer at quarterback, trading for Geno Smith to solve the long-running need for stability at this position, and then landed a potential difference-maker in rookie running back Ashton Jeanty. The Raiders aren’t going to jump all the way to the top of the AFC West standings. They may not leapfrog either of their steadily improving division rivals (the Broncos and Chargers), but the Raiders seemingly are looking at their most realistic shot at improving in a long time.
The other four teams mentioned as winners were the Eagles, Vikings, Patriots, and Bears.
It may be tough to read Jones’s assessment as that of a big winner. Especially when he seems to be suggesting the Raiders will still be the worst in the division. But Rome wasn’t built in a day. The Raiders are clearly on the right track to catch up and maybe even surpass their rivals in one of the toughest divisions in football.
They checked a lot of boxes this offseason in terms of areas they needed to improve. Jones pinpointed the big ones at GM, head coach, quarterback, and running back. Other areas have improved as well, including the defensive line if only by virtue of Christian Wilkins and Malcolm Koonce returning from injury, but also with the long term extensions handed out to Maxx Crosby and Adam Butler. While the only area that you can argue may have taken a step back is the secondary.
