pulled the trigger on the Oakland Raiders to be next years punching bag... :box2:
under 4.5 wins in regular season
240/324
:0008
No team had a more dramatic overhaul this offseason. There should be at least 10 new starters, split evenly on offense and defense. Maurice Jones-Drew and Carlos Rogers are candidates to make the number even higher.
? Jones-Drew is a mystery, but a healthy Darren McFadden should beat him out. It's more likely that MoJo's decline last season sticks, and he's not someone Oakland will want on the field too much.
? Matt Schaub shouldn't face realistic competition from Derek Carr in training camp. But we'd be surprised if Carr doesn't start if the Raiders fall two or three games under .500 at any point during the season.
? Oakland has Juron Criner and Greg Little on the bench at wide receiver, but its top three choices --
James Jones, Streater and Moore -- should be pretty well-established for the first time in a long time.
? Schaub can only be effective with a strong offensive line. Donald Penn was a boom-or-bust free-agent pickup. Kevin Boothe and Austin Howard form a new right side of the line. They should be an upgrade, but this much offensive line overhaul is rarely smooth.
? We have more faith that Dennis Allen can turn around the Raiders' defense. If the Raiders can find meaningful production from two of their veteran defensive line pickups -- Justin Tuck, Antonio Smith and LaMarr Woodley -- it should be considered a victory.
? The Raiders need last year's first-round draft pick, D.J. Hayden, to step up. San Francisco cast-offs Tarell Brown and Carlos Rogers are concerns at cornerback, as is safety Charles Woodson.
? Khalil Mack will probably line up as a defensive end on passing downs initially. We suspect he'll find his way into the every-down defense by Week 1 as well, where he can stand up as a linebacker.
? The Raiders' roster is better.
Not the punching bag that you might think. Not a playoff contender but that's a spicy bet.
