NFL record predictions for the 2018 regular season
By Ian Cummings
Oakland Raiders
In the first offseason of the Jon Gruden era, part two, the Oakland Raiders made too many suspect roster moves. Jon Gruden seems to be assembling a new “Over the Hill gang”. But it’s not going to work this time.
Things can change quickly in the NFL. Just two years ago, the Oakland Raiders, led by Jack Del Rio, were on top of the AFC West, sporting a 12-4 record in the NFL playoffs. Now, coming off a disappointing 6-10 season, the Raiders have made a change at their head coaching position, craving nostalgia with Jon Gruden, who won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers after taking the Raiders to the playoffs in 2000 and 2001.
That nostalgia gives Raiders fans hope heading into the 2018 season, but the personnel departures and acquisitions don’t bode well for the team’s chances. Jon Gruden made a number of baffling signings. Doug Martin is far past his peak; pairing him with Marshawn Lynch, who doesn’t have much time left, based on his own running style, is downright illogical.
It’s worrisome when a 6-10 team’s best free agency acquisition is Jordy Nelson, a quality receiver who is growing dangerously close to the cliff of his career. And the Raiders didn’t do much better in the NFL Draft.
They had some decent picks. P.J. Hall in the second round was a bit of a reach, but he has the athleticism to become a stout defensive lineman. Maurice Hurst already is that stout defensive lineman, and the Raiders got him in Round 5. He was cleared of his reported heart issue prior to the NFL Draft, but he slid anyway, and as a result, the Raiders have new talent on the line which they desperately needed.
The rest of the Raiders’ defense, however, is less than stellar, and they didn’t do much in the NFL Draft to help with this. Nick Nelson and Akeem Victor are both players who will need to develop before they can become increased contributors. With Gareon Conley returning in good health in 2018, the Raiders will have a decent No. 1 cornerback. But the rest of the secondary is very much unsettled, and the linebacking core, with an aging Derrick Johnson and an overpriced Tahir Whitehead won’t be enough to compensate. Arden Key might finally be the help Khalil Mack needs on the edge, but in Year 1, that could be a lot to ask for.
Just as all teams do, the Oakland Raiders have the potential to surprise. But their offseason was not a promising one. Kolton Miller is a project at left tackle, and he will be thrown into the fire too early. Brandon Parker was also severely over-drafted. Marshawn Lynch and Doug Martin are both aging running backs with injury-prone skill sets, and Derek Carr hasn’t proven that he can sustain a level of play better than Andy Dalton’s. Perhaps the acquisition of Maitavius Bryant will help, but this is a Raiders’ team with lacking depth, and lacking talent. They needed to capitalize on their first offseason with a new head coach, and Gruden’s new philosophy may end up backfiring in spectacular fashion.
I don’t think the Jon Gruden experiment will work in Oakland. I could be wrong. But so could you, Raiders fans. Accept the unpredictability.