Oakland Raiders: 5 Reasons Fans Can Be Optimistic About 2015

Aug 15, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders receiver Rod Streater (80) attempts to elude Detroit Lions safety Jerome Couplin (46) at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

A More Potent Passing Attack

With a more prominent and potent running game, second year QB Derek Carr won’t be counted on to carry the offensive load in 2015. Which is a good thing.

Carr had, by most measurements, a pretty terrific rookie season that saw him throw for more than 3,000 yards, with 21 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. He had his ups and downs of course, what rookie doesn’t? But with a largely inconsistent and underwhelming group of receivers, as well as being counted on to be the team’s entire offensive output, he did pretty well overall.

As we roll into 2015 though, Carr is going to have more weapons at his disposal. For one, Rod Streater will be back from an injury that sidelined him for most of 2014. Streater had a breakout season in 2013 – with Terrelle Pryor and Matt McGloin throwing him the ball, making his season all the more impressive – and had started to develop a good sense of rhythm and chemistry with Carr when he was injured.

With Streater, James Jones, Brice Butler, and possibly Andre Holmes back in the mix, Oakland’s receiving corps will be better with a season together under their belts. Factor in the pass catching ability of TE Mychal Rivera and the rapport he’d developed with Carr, and you have some solid pass catchers on the team.

But even better is the fact that the Raiders hold the fourth pick in the draft. Given the focus on defense throughout free agency, one would assume that Oakland will use that pick on another weapon for Carr. And much speculation has the Raiders taking Alabama’s Amari Cooper at four. Which, if that comes to fruition, will give the Raider offense another dimension – one it hasn’t had in quite a long time, if ever.

Cooper is smooth, polished, fast, has elite route running ability, and great hands. Adding him into the mix with Streater, Jones, Butler, Rivera, and Holmes, would give the Raiders an upgraded and much improved passing attack.

Especially given the fact that Musgrave is on record as saying that he anticipates incorporating portions of Chip Kelly’s up-tempo attack in Philadelphia – which should make the Raiders’ passing game much more exciting to watch.

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