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This past season for the Oakland Raiders was quite the disappointment.
It began with the hire of Jon Gruden to a 10-year, $100 million contract. The Raiders are heading into a new era. They're moving to Las Vegas in the coming years and have committed to a new coach for over a decade. Everything seemed promising.
Gruden then had the front office trade their superstar pass rusher Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears. Later, he traded his best wideout in Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys. These questionable moves plunged the team straight into rebuild mode. Anyone Gruden did not see that fit his culture, he removed.
The Raiders ended up going 4-12 and finished dead last in the AFC West Divison. They had the 28th worst offense and the worst defense in the entire league. Derek Carr had a mediocre season under center and the team allowed nearly 30 points every game.
Gruden and the Raiders have a lot of questions that need answering. Here are the three most important questions for the franchise moving forward.
3. Where will the team play?
Over the past couple of weeks, the Oakland Raiders have been attempting a return back to the Oakland Coliseum. The lease to the stadium expired this past week.
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Reportedly, both sides have agreed on terms that include around $7.5 million for rent next year. However, the team has other options as well. This includes an agreement with Oracle Park in San Francisco, the home of MLB’s San Francisco Giants. However, the 49ers aren’t giving up their territorial rights to allow them to play there.
The team had originally lost the chance to reinstate the lease, but it remains to be seen where the team will play this upcoming season.
2. Who will they acquire for the front seven?
Per Pro Football Focus, the Oakland Raiders had the worst front seven in the entire league. They sent out a total of 23 different players in their front seven at one point or another. They were last in the entire league in sacks with only 13. Rookie Maurice Hurst had four of them and he seemed to be the most impactful pass rusher on the team.
Gruden and co. could go after a pass rusher in the draft, but it's more likely that they'll sign one in free agency. DeMarcus Lawrence and Jadaveon Clowney are both high-end pass rushers, as well as Za’Darius Smith and Ezekial Ansah as more cost-effective options. They have around $71 million to work with, per Over the Cap.
1. Is Derek Carr their quarterback going forward?
Carr threw for 4,049 yards with 19 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions last season. His completion percentage sat at a healthy 68.9 percent and his quarterback rating was a lowly 49.3. Even though Carr showed flashes at times, he still hasn't proven himself as a big-time quarterback. Gruden could look elsewhere to fill in that starting spot.
The Raiders have three first-round picks and there are three potential quarterbacks that have first-round potential. Dwayne Haskins of Ohio State, Kyler Murray of Oklahoma, and Daniel Jones of Duke have all been projected as first rounders. Don't be surprised if they take one of those talents with their bevy of draft choices.
