Tag: Raiders team needs

What Condition the Position is in: Assessing Raiders level of need at WR ahead of the Draft

What Condition Raiders wide receiver Position is in heading into the Draft

With the Draft weeks away, it’s time to check in on the Raiders’ wide receiver position to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.

Starters: Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker
Depth: DJ Turner, Kristian Wilkerson

Davante is Davante. And he’s back in the fold despite plenty of speculation he would want to be traded. He and Meyers on each side is a solid couple starters. Tucker struggled early as a rookie – mainly with his hands – but late in the season the speedster showed improvement He would figure to be the favorite to take over in the slot for the departed Hunter Renfrow if the season started today.

Condition: Unstable

Notes: The reason this is unstable is for two reasons. First off because we don’t know if Tucker can be the answer full time in the slot. That’s a hope. Secondly, they need more depth. Right now they have enough receivers to field an active gameday roster. That’s not gonna cut it. They need competition for those spots and not just from a bunch of undrafted free agents either.

What Condition the Position is in: Assessing Raiders level of need at RB ahead of the Draft

What Condition Raiders RB Position is in heading into the Draft

With the Draft just weeks away, it’s time to check in on the Raiders’ running back position to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.

Starters: Zamir White, Alexander Mattison
Backups: Ameer Abdullah, Brittain Brown, Sincere McCormick, Tyreik McAllister

White played well in the final five games of last season after Josh Jacobs was lost to injury. But new GM Tom Telesco made it clear he didn’t want a workhorse back, but rather a committee in the backfield. Mattison has been a part time player for most of his five-year NFL career. He put up a career-high 700 yards on 180 carries last season along with 30 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

Condition: Stable

Notes: From the looks of it, the Raiders have the duo they like in White and Mattison. Though the depth is suspect. I wouldn’t put it past them to take a running back in this draft, but it would likely be no higher than a day three pick should someone they like happen to be there later than they expected.

What Condition the Position is in: Assessing Raiders level of need at QB ahead of the draft

What condition Raiders quarterback position is in ahead of the draft

With the Draft just weeks away, it’s time to check in on the Raiders’ quarterback position to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.

Starter: Gardner Minshew
Depth: Aidan O’Connell, Anthony Brown Jr

O’Connell started the latter half of last season as a rookie. He did an admirable job, but never showed he was close to being the answer. Minshew has the right attitude to fit in with this team and started a career-high 13 games last season in Indianapolis. He joins his fourth team in six NFL seasons.

Condition: Critical

Notes: While the addition of Minshew helps relieve some pressure for the Raiders in the draft, it doesn’t signal they will shift away from it as their top priority. They simply must be thinking quarterback at the top of the draft and do whatever they have to do in order to get someone they believe can be a day one starter.

Ranking Raiders biggest need positions ahead of free agency

6 biggest Raiders need positions ahead of free agency

Happy March everyone. It’s officially the month of the new league year which also means free agency is upon us.

In preparation for this, we take a look at the biggest need areas for the Raiders, starting with the most critical and working our way from there.

What Condition the Position is in: Assessing Raiders need at safety ahead of free agency

What Condition the Position is in: Safety

With free agency weeks away, it’s time to check in on the Raiders’ safety position to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.

Starters: Tre’von Moehrig, Marcus Epps
Depth: Isaiah Pola-Mao, Chris Smith II, Jaydon Grant, Tyreque Jones
Free Agents: None

All 17 games last season Moehrig and Epps were the starters and played nearly every snap. The former in his second season as the a second round pick, the latter as one of the team’s top free agent signings of 2023. They made for a pretty decent pair.

Former undrafted Pola-Mao has shown some flashes that if needed, he could step up. Smith was highly touted coming from the National Champion Georgia squad. But the fifth round rookie played sparingly in his first season.

Condition: Stable

Everyone is back. Two solid returning starters, some decent competition for the next two off the bench and special teamers. They could run it back with this group and be just fine.

What Condition the Position is in: Assessing Raiders level of need at OT ahead of free agency

What Condition Raiders Position is in: Offensive tackle

With free agency under a month away, it’s time to check in on the Raiders’ offensive tackle position to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.

Starters: Kolton Miller, Thayer Munford
Depth: Dalton Wagner, DJ Fluker, Jalen McKenzie
Free Agents: Jermaine Eluemunor, Brandon Parker

Miller was his usual mainstay at left tackle, outside of missing five starts due to injury. Right tackle was manned by Eluemunor for the second consecutive season. Munford filled in at both tackle spots as needed.

Condition: Serious

No worries at left tackle. But right tackle is a concern. They can limit that concern by bringing back Eluemunor, but regardless seeking an upgrade at that spot would be smart. Eluemunor can play tackle or guard and is a good piece to have around. Munford has also shown potential, but it would not be smart to move forward with him as the only option at such a crucial spot.

What Condition the Position is in: Assessing Raiders level of need at QB ahead of free agency

What Condition Raiders Position is in: Quarterback

With free agency under a month away, it’s time to check in on the Raiders’ quarterback position to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.

Returning starter: Aidan O’Connell
Depth: Jimmy Garoppolo, Brian Hoyer, Anthony Brown Jr
Free Agents: None

Garoppolo began the year as the unquestioned starter. Midway through the season everyone was questioning it. And when Antonio Pierce took over, he removed Jimmy G and made rookie Aidan O’Connell the starter the remainder of the season.

Condition: Critical

Notes: O’Connell played decent at times, but didn’t show he can be the long term solution The depth here is an illusion. Jimmy G will be cut this offseason. As will Brian Hoyer.

There is no question quarterback is THE top priority for this team. It was a top priority last offseason, but Josh McDaniels opted to go with a familiar face from his New England days. That backfired spectacularly, putting the Raiders right back where they were.

5 big questions on defense as Raiders wrap up minicamp

Minicamp is a wrap. Here’s 5 big questions facing Raiders defense

Minicamp is behind us. Next stop is training camp. Many questions face this Raiders squad they must answer over the next few weeks and months. We looked at the questions facing the offense. Now we turn to the defense.

 

 

 

 

 

Top 5 Best Guard fits for Raiders in 2023 NFL Draft

Top 5 Draft Guard fits for Raiders

While much of the focus by the Raiders in this draft figures to come on the defensive side of the ball, perhaps no position on the offense is in more need of a major talent than that of the guard position.

The Raiders went after guard with their first pick last season — albeit in the third round — but the work is not done. They must consider looking to upgrade the position on day two and perhaps day three as well.

Here are the top fits for what the Raiders need as I see it.

Raiders Top 5 biggest team needs heading into NFL Draft

These five positions will be top priority for the Raiders in this draft.

We are a week away from the start of the 2023 NFL Draft. And since we know (don’t we?) that Best Player Available is a myth, let’s take a look at the positions the Raiders will be working the hardest to upgrade with their top pick at seven overall as well as one of their four picks in the first two days.