Oakland Raiders: Poised to Win the AFC West
By Andrew Mills
The Oakland Raiders have not been to the playoffs since their appearance in Super Bowl XXXVII. After adding several key free agents to an already talented and young core, the Raiders could be well on their way to changing that in 2016.
The 2015 Oakland Raiders finished 7-9, their fourth straight losing season, but Raiders fans are as upbeat as any fan base in the NFL going into 2016. Their recent drafts have netted a promising quarterback, stud pass rusher and a wide receiver who could turn into an All-Pro. However what may have put them over the edge is what they have done this free agent period.
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Oakland’s 2015 season was definitely a turbulent one. The team at times showed that they can be formidable on offense (scoring over 30 points four separate times) and defense (holding opponents to under 21 points seven times) but they were rarely able to put it together on both sides of the ball and dominate an opponent (only one win by more than 10 points).
Despite having one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers in Khalil Mack, the Raiders only ranked 14th in the league in sacks with 38. The free agent additions of Bruce Irvin and Sean Smith will go a long way to improving that total in 2016.
Bruce Irvin, the former first-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2012, signed a four-year deal with the Raiders during the first hours of NFL free agency. Irvin has averaged over five sacks per season in his NFL career, including an abbreviated 2013 season where he only played in 12 games, tallying two sacks. An outside linebacker who can play in coverage, Irvin’s best fit may be as a situational pass rusher.
Sean Smith is a seven-year NFL veteran who will be making the Raiders his third stop in the NFL. Smith is a big (6’3″, 218 pounds), press-man cornerback who will immediately upgrade a Raiders’ secondary that ranked 26th against the pass in the NFL last season. While only snagging two interceptions in 2015, Smith ranked 27th in passes defended and as the 12th-best cornerback in the NFL by Pro Football Focus.
The addition of a complimentary pass rusher and press-man cornerback will pay immediate dividends for the Raiders on defense. On offense, the Raiders’ biggest moves were to acquire and re-sign players that will give them one of the league’s most dominant offensive lines.
The Raiders offense took a huge leap forward in 2015 behind the arm of quarterback Derek Carr and talented skill position players Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree and Latavius Murray. Cian Fahey, author of the Pre-snap Reads Quarterback Catalogue had this to say about the Raiders offense:
"Crabtree, Cooper and Carr were the main attractions of the offense. Cooper was proving to be uncoverable for most cornerbacks. He was repeatedly showing off the quick feet and acceleration that made him so dangerous at Alabama. Not only was Cooper getting open with ease and creating yards after the catch from everywhere on the field, he was consistently catching the ball and making adjustments in the air. Crabtree wasn’t as fast as his counterpart, but showed off the same refinement and some elusiveness in the open field. Throw in Latavius Murray as well as the emerging Seth Roberts to go along with Carr’s arm talent and the Raiders had arguably the most explosive offense in the NFL."
Adding Kelechi Osemele, an offensive lineman with the versatility to play tackle or quard, and re-signing Donald Penn are huge moves that will allow Carr and Cooper to further develop.
Osemele is a tenacious run blocker and his presence will most certainly improve Oakland’s 28th ranked rushing offense. Penn is a veteran tackle that has proven reliable in both pass and run blocking and his re-signing goes a long way to maintain stability on the offensive line.
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All in all, the Raiders seemed to have a very effective plan in free agency. As usual, they will have to face the now-defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos twice this year. Those games may very well decide who wins the division. Given what Denver has lost and what Oakland has added, I’m leaning toward the Raiders.