There are those convinced that the Raiders were on their way to unseating the New England Patriots as the AFC’s top team in 2016 were it not for a season-ending injury to quarterback Derek Carr. Believe what you may, the Raiders certainly were as close to a Super Bowl-caliber team than at any other time
A detailed look at whether current Raiders are better positioned for Super Bowl run than 2016 team
Injuries are inevitable. Can the Raiders withstand injuries to Lynch or the LB unit, which I think are the thinnest
And can the young guys start to perform.
Lots of questions
I know you said, “based upon age and last year’s production,” but I feel Nelson will be an upgrade over Crabtree. Cooper takes a lot of deserved heat for drops but Crabtree had way too many drops too, especially for a guy who is reputed to have great hands. Reports that Crabtree and Carr weren’t talking for stretches last year constitute a big red flag too.
And don’t forget, this team will play three wide a lot too, and Bryant should be a huge upgrade over Seth.
Obvious areas of questions………….. Offensive tackles. Cornerback. Defensive Tackles. We don’t have great Safeties, but serviceable enough to get by with good coaching. Obvious areas of strength…… QB, WR, RB, interior O-line, defensive end. Are they all “Elite”? Mack, yes, but not all. . . .they they are solid and not a big problem, however. There are so many questions marks, though: Is Conley a legit “shutdown” CB? IS PJ Hall a guy to watch? Can Mo Hurst produce inside pass rush at the NFL level? Lots and lots of questions………..
Admittedly, I didn’t go through both rosters carefully to answer these questions, so maybe some others, o6 Cork might have:
1. Which team, 2016 or 2018 have a legitimately higher ceiling? Especially in the categories that you call equal or fall off? And especially given coaching?
2. Of the 8 starters remaining, what’s the chance they will have a much bigger jump forward (due to experience, coaching, & support teammates) compared to some similar group of 4ish year players from 2016?
3. We often forget special teams. Their results are incredibly valuable. You mentioned special team specialists. But what about the special teams in total.
Which year is likely better?
Thanks!