Oakland Raiders: A Few Questions That Must Be Answered This Offseason

What To Do With The Receivers Group?

Rumors and reports have been flying since the season ended that the Raiders will be parting ways with receiver Michael Crabtree. Most cite his down production in 2017 and a salary not commensurate with that down production, as the most likely reason for his departure – should it come to pass.

To be fair though, all of Oakland’s receivers had a down year, and that was primarily because Carr and the offense as a whole had a down year. The 2017 incarnation of Oakland’s offense bore little to no resemblance to the 2016 powerhouse.

There is plenty of blame to go around. Carr. Former OC Todd Downing (who never should have been promoted in the first place). Underperforming running backs. And receivers who dropped balls at an alarming rate – yeah, we’re looking at you the most, Amari Cooper.

If the Raiders do as expected, and part ways with Crabtree, Oakland’s receiving group is going to be a bit short on experience. They have some talented playmakers in the likes of Seth Roberts and Johnny Holton, but like Cooper, both have had their share of struggles holding onto the ball.

There’s also Patterson, whose status with the team at present, is up in the air. He never factored very heavily into the offensive game plan, his impact on special teams was negligible, some believe he was one of the problems in the locker room, and he carries a three million dollar cap hit – with zero dead money if they opt to part ways with him.

It’s clear that the Raiders need to upgrade their receivers group. Does that mean they dip into free agency and break the bank making a run at somebody like Jarvis Landry or Allen Robinson?

Or, do they go more conservative and look for a gem in the Draft and lower-tier free agent receivers?

The answer to the question about Oakland’s receivers will have a huge impact on the power and punch of the offense in 2018.