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

Concern: That Offensive Line

As good as Oakland’s starting five on the line are – and given that PFF is slotting them in as the second best starting five in the league – there are some concerns surrounding the depth of this unit.

Last season, Oakland’s offense ran into some problems after Hudson was injured – and clearly wasn’t the same afterward. Those problems were compounded after Howard went down with an injury that caused him to miss the last few games of the season – and Watson was already out with a season ending injury.

The injuries necessitated some shuffling along the line including giving rookie Jon Feliciano the first three starts of his career. And though Feliciano was – okay – it was clear that Oakland’s offensive line later in the season wasn’t as good as they’d been through the first half. And a decline in the efficiency and effectiveness of the offense bears that out.

Oakland’s starting five is solid and should they play to their potential, they’ll be one of the best in the league. But beyond that starting five, things get a little sketchy.

On the bench, the Raiders are going to have Feliciano, the winner of the Watson/Howard camp battle, Matt McCants, and should he make the team, rookie Vadal Alexander, as well as a couple more spare parts. Needless to say, Oakland’s bench is a little thin.

The biggest hope is that the starting five stay healthy and that their play doesn’t decline as the season wears on – a charge made against left tackle Donald Penn last season. Barring that, the team and its fans have to hope that Mike Tice – who worked wonders with the starting unit – can use that magic to coach up the reserves and have them ready to battle if they’re ever needed.

Next: Overhauled and Upgraded