Oakland Raiders: A Few Reasons For Optimism, A Few Reasons for Concern

The Oakland Raiders, by all accounts, have had a terrific offseason and seem poised to make a run at a postseason return – let’s look at a few reasons for optimism and a few areas of concern.

The last time the Oakland Raiders did anything of note, George W. Bush was in office, Robert Blake was acquitted of murder, Tiger Woods was still dominant on the golf course, and Enron had just declared bankruptcy. So needless to say, it’s been quite a while since the Raiders were any good – or actually, even relevant in the landscape of the NFL.

Things are changing though, and after a few years under Mark Davis’ ownership – with Reggie McKenzie running the football side of things – the Raiders are climbing out of the mess and muck of mediocrity. Okay, in all fairness, for most of the past thirteen seasons, the team and fans were only aspiring to mediocrity. Where Oakland dwelled was actually somewhere far lower.

But things are finally looking up for one of the league’s most storied franchises. With foundation pieces like Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, and Khalil Mack, the Raiders are once again becoming a force on the field. Though they won just seven games last season, they were far more competitive over the course of the entire season since Rich Gannon was under center for this team.

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Last season, this team took a big step forward from where they’ve been toward where they’re going. And the future is looking very, very bright for this team.

The vibes coming out of Oakland are more positive and upbeat than they’ve been in years. And the optimism surrounding this team is at levels we haven’t seen since Shrek, Monsters, Inc., and Donnie Darko were big hits in the theater.

But make no mistake, that doesn’t mean that everything is sunshine and roses. The Raiders, if they are going to return to the postseason – and perhaps even win a division title – still have a lot of work to do. This is a team that has a lot of supremely talented parts, but now needs to figure out how to make all of the pieces come together to form one fluid masterpiece.

Things are looking up in Oakland, there is no doubt. But there are still a few areas worth keeping an eye on…

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