Thus far, it has been a very uneventful offseason for the Oakland Raiders. They didn’t make a splash this free agency despite having nearly $70 million in cap space. With the draft only weeks away, the Raiders continue to have several holes to fill, and will look to do so by drafting young up and coming talent.
Offensively, the Raiders need a lot of work. One of the Raiders biggest needs continues to be playmakers for quarterback Derek Carr on offense. The silver and black’s receiving core is mediocre at best with Rod Streater, and Andre Holmes being two of the biggest names. They recently signed former 49ers' receiver Michael Crabtree, a serviceable veteran in a low-risk/high-reward situation.
The run game was simply pathetic last season. Neither Maurice Jones-Drew nor Darren McFadden could get anything going; the only silver lining was Latavius Murray, but due to his injury history, the Raiders will need to add some depth to the run game. They signed Trent Richardson, who has had down seasons as of late. He, like Crabtree, is a low-risk/high-reward acquisition. Richardson has had one good season, which was his rookie year in 2012 when he rushed for 950 yards and had 11 touchdowns with the Cleveland Browns. His last two years with the Indianapolis Colts haven’t been remotely as successful, with only six touchdowns and 977 yards in 29 games.
The tight end position is also a work in progress. Nick Kasa was hurt last season, as was David Ausberry, which left Mychal Rivera as the starter. This is an area the Raiders need to improve on, but not a top priority when it comes to the draft.
With defensive minded Jack Del Rio taking over as head coach, this organization will look to build a defensive beast; and they are well on their way with Khalil Mack and Sio Moore. Mack was the Raiders first round pick last season and had an impressive rookie season, improving from week to week. Moore has been a fire starter on defense and a motivator on the sideline; a leader in the making.
Looking ahead to this year’s draft, the Raiders may also pursue another strong pass rusher. The defensive front could use some fine tuning and building for the future.
As the Raiders prepare for the upcoming season, there are several questions with no specific answers. Free agency was a bust, with no big name players signing a contract with the silver and black, now they look forward to the draft; where they had a lot of success in 2014.
The 2014 draft selections made an immediate impact over the course of the season, and that draft class was one of the best for the Raiders in a really long time. Now, the Raiders have options whether they choose to keep their high picks or trade down, but regardless they will have their fair share of selections come draft day. As an organization in rebuilding mode, the Oakland Raiders have many needs heading into the 2015 season, but playmakers for their young quarterback and building a strong pass rush sit atop the list.