Oakland Raiders Defensive Position Group Receives High Marks

The Oakland Raiders spent a lot of time, money, and effort upgrading and improving their defensive front seven over the offseason – and it’s not going unnoticed.

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As has been the case many times before, the Oakland Raiders entered this offseason with a lot of needs and a lot of holes to fill – and most importantly, a lot of money to spend. Unlike past seasons though – most notably, during Al Davis’ last few years at the helm – they had a plan. They didn’t just throw big dollars at every big name out there and hope for the best – a “plan” that did little more than prolong a losing streak that reaches back more than a decade.

GM Reggie McKenzie has drafted well and this offseason was very surgical, precise, and very smart when it came to targeting free agents and structuring their contracts after bringing them in. He brought in guys who are good in the locker room and good scheme fits – dynamic playmakers who are in their prime rather than players who on the downside of their careers with little left in the tank. And best of all, he didn’t have to mortgage the future of the franchise to do it.

And after all of that work, after bringing together those disaparate nuts and bolts that will hopefully build a high powered, high flying machine, many around the league are heaping praise upon the Raiders, predicting that 2016 may be the year Oakland ends the NFL’s second longest playoff drought.

But if the Raiders are to fulfill that potential and promise, they are going to need to let the defense lead the way. A defense that McKenzie, HC Jack Del Rio, and DC Ken Norton Jr. have spent a lot of time assembling and tinkering with.

All of that tinkering seems to be paying dividends though, as others are beginning to take notice. The secondary has been completely overhauled with the additions of Sean Smith, Reggie Nelson, and Karl Joseph who will team with last season’s breakout star David Amerson. It’s a solid group that is receiving some high marks of their own.

But the success of that secondary is going to rely heavily on another group that has gotten an injection of talent – and is beginning to turn some heads as well.

Pro Football Focus recently released their rankings of the defensive front sevens of all 32 NFL teams and gave the Raiders a very favorable ranking. How favorable? PFF has ranked the Raiders’ front seven as the fifth best in the league behind just the Broncos, Seahawks, Panthers and the Rams.

"“In terms of seamless quality and versatility, there may not be a better defensive front in football right now than the Raiders. Khalil Mack provides Oakland with an undeniable star, but the likes of Dan Williams, Mario Edwards Jr., and Bruce Irvin give this front all-around quality and moveable pieces that can produce from a variety of alignments. The play of the Raiders’ off-ball linebackers could be what holds this front—and the defense as a whole—back in 2016.”"

With big bodies like Dan Williams, Justin Ellis pushing the pocket and clogging up the running lanes, Khalil Mack, Mario Edwards. Jr., and Bruce Irvin coming off the edges to terrorize the quarterback – not to mention, Aldon Smith when he returns from suspension – the Raiders are going to have some serious beef up front – beef that is going to make the lives of opposing quarterbacks a waking nightmare.

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And let’s not forget talented reserves like Denico Autry, Stacy McGee, and this year’s very promising draft picks, Shilique Calhoun and Jihad Ward who will be solid, reliable rotation pieces for a talented defensive front.

Taken as a whole, the Raiders have one of the more intimidating defensive fronts, on paper – but they’re going to have to play at a very high level if they’re going to live up to PFF’s ranking.

If there is one area of concern – and PFF was correct to note it – it’s with Oakland’s inside linebackers. A big part of the lack of success Oakland’s inside linebackers had last season was Curtis Lofton.

Despite coming in with a reputation as one of the league’s premier tacklers, Lofton was often slow to the ball, exposed on short pass plays and given the fact that he was benched after week nine, it seems safe to say that he turned out to be one of McKenzie’s worst free agent acquisitions.

But Lofton’s ineptitude on the field was perhaps, a blessing in disguise for the Raiders. After Lofton lost the starting job, rookie Ben Heeney stepped in and showed that he’s very capable of manning the middle. He’s not a lot of flash and dazzle, but he was solid — seemingly cut from the same cloth as Zach Thomas.

Heeney obviously still needs some polish and development, but he began to show this team that he can be relied on to quarterback the defense.

With Heeney, Neiron Ball, and Malcolm Smith playing inside, the Raiders might not be as bad off at the inside linebacker spot as some might think.

The Raiders have a defensive front filled with players who are athletic, versatile, can do a number of different things – and do them very well. Oakland has a group of players gives Del Rio and Norton maximum flexibility and will enable them to employ a number of exotic schemes that will keep opposing offenses back on their heels.

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With two defensive minded coaches – coaches who were very formidable during their own playing days – it makes sense that they would build a defense in their own images. Ferocious. Aggressive Relentless. Fearless.

Oakland’s defense is more talented than it has been in ages – it’s a defense capable of dominating games and is one that fans should be pumped about. It’s a defensive group that very well could not only live up to PFF’s ranking, but surpass it.

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