Now that we’ve celebrated the top newcomers to the Raiders, let’s look at the flip side – the most disappointing additions on each side of the ball. After all, they can’t all be winners. This isn’t just about players who played poorly or didn’t play at all. This is about hopes and expectations. And those who fell the farthest from the visions we had of them when they arrived.

Most disappointing addition: Offense

WR Antonio Brown

Brown was considered arguably the most talented wide receiver in football when the Raiders traded a third and fifth-round pick for him. He forced his way out of Pittsburgh, but that alone wasn’t enough for people to lower their expectations of him as a player. Plenty of players force trades. That doesn’t automatically mean they will continue to be a problem elsewhere. Usually, it means the opposite. Usually, they just need a change of scenery and new teammates and coaches. Their talent is still there.

Well, Brown was still talented. We saw that in limited action in the offseason and in camp. But he was not right in the head and before the season even arrived, the list of problems with his behavior had mounted and he was released.

Merely not being available was bad enough. He was supposed to be the bonafide number one receiver Derek Carr needed and they no longer had that. But it was worse than that. Firstly, the Raiders lost two draft picks getting him. Secondly, had he not been acquired, the team would very likely have used one of their four picks in the top 35 on a wide receiver who could fill that role. Someone like AJ Brown, perhaps.

Thirdly, Antonio Brown was released just prior to the season, so all the plans they had for Brown in this offense were down the drain with no backup plan. It was full speed ahead with a ramshackle wide receiver corps and the result of that was predictable.

Most disappointing addition: Defense

LB Vontaze Burfict

The Bengals parted ways with Burfict and Paul Guenther got his guy. Burfict’s dirty play was well documented as was his many league disciplinary actions – 13 instances, including three suspensions. Everyone knew he was on very thin ice. Everyone except apparently Paul Guenther.

Even still, Burfict is a talented player, who knew Guenther’s defense inside and out and we all kind of figured if there was any place he could thrive and stay out of trouble it was with his old ball coach.

All through camp, Burfict seemed like he was going to be on his best behavior and his teammates raved about how smart he was and how he was keeping the level of communication open so the defense could function at a high level. There was reason to be excited and it was enough to make you forget Burfict was one personal foul away from a substantial suspension.

Burfict made it through just three games before that personal foul came. He lowered the crown of his helmet into another player’s helmet and was ejected from a game. He ran off the field seemingly laughing at the penalty and that was probably the last we will ever see from him in an NFL uniform. He was subsequently suspended indefinitely by the league.

Many thought that punishment was too harsh, and perhaps it was, but consider this; His last suspension was for five games, reduced to three games on appeal. So, his next suspension was going to be at very least 8 games and he wouldn’t win an appeal this time. That would have had him out until week 13.

He would return for the final four games and after the season probably still never play another game because everyone would know the next personal foul would certainly end his career. The Raiders signed Will Compton with four games left in the season and he was outstanding for them. I wouldn’t have chosen Burfict over Compton.

The moral here is Guenther and Burfict teased everyone into thinking we would get all the good aspects of his game and none of the drawbacks, at least for one full season. They got three games out of him and the defense suddenly was back to having to make a change at middle linebacker midstream, just as they had the three previous seasons and the results were equally detrimental to the play of the defense.

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