Oakland Raiders not named Carr or Mack crucial to team’s 2018 success
By Kevin Saito
The Oakland Raiders, if they hope to succeed in 2018 are going to need significant contributions from guys not named Carr or Mack.
For the Oakland Raiders, what a difference a year makes. At this time last year, they were being touted as possible Super Bowl contenders.
This year though?
Picked to finish last in the AFC West by multiple outlets – and by one, to be a complete “dumpster fire.”
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Such is the life of a team that falls on hard times, tumbling from a 12-4 playoff season, to a horribly underwhelming 6-10 nightmare of a year – a year that got their head coach run out on a rail and a massive roster turnover as the new/old guy, Jon Gruden, came storming back into town.
If there’s been one constant this offseason, it’s change. The big question though, is – will all of this roster turnover and all of these new faces, lead to more success on the field?
That’s obviously the million dollar question that we’re all dying to have an answer to.
The answer though, won’t be forthcoming for a while yet.
That being said, there are definitely some signs of life for Oakland. There are reasons to feel a little bit of optimism here and there. Small signs, small reasons, but better than none at all.
For the Raiders to get back on track and chart a course for the playoffs, those small signs are going to need to become big signs. They’re also going to need significant contributions from guys up and down the roster, whether they’re rookies, or ten-year vets.
Now, obviously, they need contributions from their stars. Their foundation players. Guys like Derek Carr, Khalil Mack, and Amari Cooper. That’s a given.
But, they’re going to need a whole lot more from a whole bunch of other guys too.
They’ll definitely need more from more guys than the former coaching regime seemed able to get out of their roster.
With that in mind then, if the Raiders are going to defy expectations – low as the may be in many cases – and put together a solid season, let’s take a look at some players not named Carr or Mack, who are going to be crucial to the team’s success this year.