Oakland Raiders: Can McKenzie and Del Rio Co-Exist, or Is Change Needed?

By Donald Jackson | Mar 4, 2015

The Oakland Raiders are indicating they are coming out swinging, with guns blazing, when the NFL free agency period officially begins March 10th.

The Raiders are entering this vital free agency period with available cap space to spend. According to OverTheCap.com, the Jacksonville Jaguars are the only NFL team with more cap space. The Jaguars are approximately a little over $68 million under the cap, while the Raiders rank second at approximately $55 million under the cap threshold.

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There is little doubt around the NFL that Reggie McKenzie‘s job is on the line, and many pundits feel the McKenzie era should have already come to its conclusion. However, Raiders owner Mark Davis has stuck with his hand-picked general manager, giving him one last opportunity to prove he is the right man for the job.

McKenzie will be joined by newly acquired head coach, Jack Del Rio. Del Rio is home-grown. He is a graduate of Hayward High and has spent the previous three seasons serving as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator. The Broncos’ defense ranked 10th in points allowed per game and third in yards, during Del Rio’s stint.

It’s still unclear to many who holds the true power when it comes to player evaluation and who has the final say on Draft day. However, one thing is very clear, McKenzie is running out of life lines and his time with the silver and black, is tedious, at best.

Kansas City Royals bench coach Don Wakamatsu, a teammate of Del Rio’s in football, basketball and baseball at Hayward High School, said, “He’s one of the best ones out there.”

The Raiders’ rise back to prominence is largely dependent on a strong offseason. The signing of top-tier free agents and a strong 2015 draft class will go along way towards rebuilding Oakland’s proud franchise.

The inability to spend big will not be the Raiders’ issue. The hurdle of attracting star players in their prime has been one of the main dilemmas . The signing of aging veterans to plug in various roster holes due to limited cap space has resulted in poor results on the field and a scream for changes in the front office by the fans of Raider Nation and NFL insiders alike.

McKenzie and Del Rio not only have the task of formulating a great Draft day and free agency strategy, but they also must be able to execute it. The feeling that the Raiders have finally taken the right steps towards rebuilding their proud franchise may not be in unison, but are definitely trending in league circles.

The Raiders’ 2014 draft class, headed by Khalil Mack, who was taken with the fifth overall pick, and Derek Carr, who was chosen with their first pick in the second round, has been viewed as great building blocks throughout the league.

Mack has already proven to be one of the best run-stopping outside linebackers in the NFL, even in this early stage of his career. While Carr has shown the qualities of being a good leader, on and off the field, while exhibiting great knowledge of the game for such an inexperienced quarterback.

Mack and Carr may have been the headliners of the Raiders’ 2014 draft class, but they weren’t the only ones with impressive rookie campaigns.

Perhaps the most underrated rookie drafted by the silver and black was Gabe Jackson, who was taken in the third round. Jackson has shown to be an excellent run blocker, specifically when it requires a straight ahead power technique, while showing the necessary speed and agility when pulling and hitting that second level of the opposing defense.

The last decade has been strenuous on the Raiders’ fan base, to say the least. However, with a precise game plan and the fusing together of a successful tandem between McKenzie and Del Rio, the Raiders can ascend up the NFL power rankings or expect another offseason filled with speculation and face an uncertain future.

Next: 5 Free Agents the Raiders Should Consider Signing

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