Raiders present intriguing team in 2018

The Oakland Raiders are going to be under the proverbial microscope in 2018. After finishing 6-10 last season, ownership decided that change was needed. As a result, they gave in a 10-year, $100 million deal for head coach Jon Gruden.

With the Oakland Raiders investing a truckload in Gruden, the team set itself up for a massive offseason. Although, it disappointed by even the lowest of standards. Oakland went out and signed a litany of players. However, all of them are either over the hill or non-descript talents. Jordy Nelson, Tahir Whitehead, Doug Martin, Keith Smith and Derek Carrier are hard to get excited about. Especially when they are accompanied by the losses of Marquette King, Michael Crabtree and NaVorro Bowman.

On Monday, the Raiders tried to show some faith in the existing core as the future of the tea, exercising the fifth-year option on wide receiver Amari Cooper. Cooper, 23, appeared well on his way to being one of the league’s best as a rookie in 2015. That year, he hauled in 72 passes for 1,070 yards and six touchdowns. The next campaign saw an uptick in production with 83 receptions for 1,153 yards and five scores. But trouble was around the corner.

In 2017, Cooper fell off a proverbial cliff, going for 48 catches and 680 yards. General manager Reggie McKenzie is showing a ton of faith in Cooper by picking up the option, although the Raiders can get out of the $13.9 cap hit without penalty provided he can pass a physical at season’s end. If Cooper puts up another season like he did last year, that possibility becomes not only possible but probable.

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To that point, Cooper and quarterback Derek Carr need to drive the bus if the Raiders want any chance of going somewhere in 2018. Carr had a tremendous 2016 that was cut short by a broken leg in Week 16, and he’s yet to return to form. Carr and Cooper must be the focal point of the attack, with Marshawn Lynch and Nelson providing support. To expect the latter duo to be the main cogs in the machine is a recipe for disaster.

Oakland has a chance to build up plenty of juice before moving to Las Vegas in a year or two. If the Raiders can rediscover some of their young stars and get back into the playoffs under Gruden, the momentum will really be on the way.

Otherwise, it’s back to the drawing board for a team that has far too often been using the eraser on the pencil instead of the tip.