State of our team

[Darbsk]

2 hours ago, riceman80 said:

Top 3 for me would be DE, MLB, and RB

My top 10 in order...

Stud DE, 3 down MLB, workhorse RB, centerfield FS, perimeter WR, RT, base DE, athletic WLB, speed WR, #2 CB with press ability

I can live with Martin as a backup but he's not starting material. He doesnt create yards, just gets what he's given pretty much

 

I guess I see it a little differently, in that my top 3 priorities would be Pass Rusher, Pass Rusher and WR.

I'd double down with a FA pass rusher and a top draft pick, I also feel we absolutely need a good all round target for Carr (assuming Peterman isn't QBoTF ). 

We do need LB help, safety help and to work out whats going on at RB at the very least and I'm terrified that Gruden will break up the interior OL so that'll be a massive black hole too. For the first time in a number of years I'm pessimistic about this team moving forward, we just seem to be creating more holes every time we seem to fill one. Hopefully we'll see the value in resigning Cook or that will be a massive hole too.

[Rolni]

I might be too sensitive to this OL situation of ours, but right now my #1 question is who will be the OL coach.

If Cable stays we are #ucked for 2019 and we will throw out 2 2018 draft picks out of the window (Miller, Parker) and probably let go 2 really good OG or pay them top money and force them to struggle...

If we bring in a new OL coach, we might have a chance for a solid OL play, for Carr to thrive and for a good offense overall.

When we have that we can focus on the defensive side during the offseason.

Pass rusher is a big need, probably the biggest right now. I want a quality FA signing and a rookie early to group them with Key.

MLB and S are on that next level to me, however Cabinda shows some potential at MLB, while the Tahir-Lee duo might be servicable at OLB. 
Because of this trio I might say S should be a priority, since we only have Karl and Harris there. 

TE is depending on Cook's return for me. If he is back we are in great shape with this quartett, if he is gone we should draft a guy early IMO.

WR is also interesting and a lot depends on status of Jordy and Roberts IMO. If we keep Jordy, Roberts, Ateman and some young guys, we should be alright with one FA pick up and one early-mid rookie...

CB is still a potential issue to me. I'm not convinced with Worley, he is too up and down for my taste...I would definately go out and bring in a solid #2 type if Melvin walks. Nick Nelson so far a big disappointment for me...

RB is not a big issue for me right now. We sure have Richard as the reciever type. We can bring back Lynch or Martin as veteran IMO, since both showed some punch. We can get a young guy to compete with Warren, who looked pretty good in TC/pre season. Mid-late draft and UDFA would do the battle IMO.

[riceman80]

3 hours ago, Darbsk said:

 

I guess I see it a little differently, in that my top 3 priorities would be Pass Rusher, Pass Rusher and WR.

I'd double down with a FA pass rusher and a top draft pick, I also feel we absolutely need a good all round target for Carr (assuming Peterman isn't QBoTF ). 

We do need LB help, safety help and to work out whats going on at RB at the very least and I'm terrified that Gruden will break up the interior OL so that'll be a massive black hole too. For the first time in a number of years I'm pessimistic about this team moving forward, we just seem to be creating more holes every time we seem to fill one. Hopefully we'll see the value in resigning Cook or that will be a massive hole too.

I think one stud DE and a base end would have a big ripple effect. Allows Hurst/Hall, and Hankins/Jelly to play strictly DT and kicks Key to 3rd downs. Find a situational rusher in the mid rounds or FA for depth as well.

WR is a big need but whether thru FA or the draft, i dont see a legit #1 for our offense so i lower it's importance somewhat based on that. So with that, i'd rather see us keep Jordy and draft/sign a few guys with varying skillsets to improve our WRs but not overpay. Ideally id like to see us sign John Brown and Tyrell Williams while drafting a slot type in the mid rounds to push Roberts for his job.

It's hard to say what we'll do at OG. Ideally we go back to a PBS and fire Cable but i doubt we do that. KO shouldn't be cut after one injury riddled down year. Gabe is a different story as he couldn't be in a worse scheme for his skillset tho. I expect one will go but if both are let go then we're gonna have massive holes at LG, RG, and RT.

A quality RB could really help but if not's Ingram in FA or Montgomery in the draft, im really not interested.

MLB is a monster need we've been ignoring for over a decade imo. McClain was our only attempt we've made at filling it. If Bosa is gone then i'd be fine with moving down 2-3 spots and taking White around 5.

A big part of me thinks if we cant have Bosa, moving down to 4-6 would be good. Pick up some extra talent and someone like White, Greedy, Oliver, etc would be better value at a need position.

I share your pessimism tho. The turnover last offseason was unreal and i expect this season to be just or nearly as chaotic. I'll believe Carr is our QB when he starts week 1. We could alone see an offense without Lynch, Nelson, Cook, KO, Gabe. Crazy to think that in 2 years our offense that led us to a playoff berth in 2016 could only have Carr and Hudson as starters still remaining. Time will tell and i have anxiety(probably more trepidation actually) as to how it'll turn out...

[big_palooka]

This is a 2-3 year rebuild right now. There is no possible way to land all the pieces needed to be competitive in one offseason. They've created too many holes and the roster turnover is about to be huge. That said, for the 2019 offseason, my rebuild starts like this:

Pass rushers - This is obvious. Need to sign one in FA and draft the top pass rusher available. Need 2 starters and 1 in rotation

LBs - This unit is a mess and has been for a decade. Need to invest in guys that can run and cover. You play in the AFC West with a great group of TEs and RBs. You have to be able to win some matchups and protect against the run. Need 3 new starters. The guys they have are good depth.

Skill positions - You have to give Carr some help

1) WR - Sign a vet like Enuwna. Draft 2, one early who can contribute early

2) TE - Resign Cook and draft one from a good class of TEs 

3) RB - Draft one mid to late to pair with Richard and Martin. Not a great class. 2020 is where you'll find franchise back

Oline - Get a better coach

1) OT - You just draft 2 early. Sign quality vets to compete for starting spots

2) OG - Keep what you have another year because you have cap space

Secondary

CB - Sign a vet like Denard who has familiarity with Guenther. Draft mid round

S - Draft starter early to pair with KJ if you can't sign a high end FA

[Nightmare]

14 hours ago, NCOUGHMAN said:

Figure I’d put this here since season is almost over and we know who we are as a team

what do you think are our top 3 positional needs? 1 being top priority and you can pick the same position twice. 

For me it’s 

1. Edge

2. Wr 

3. Ot

For me it's:
1. DE - the Mack-shaped hole has been astronomical this season.
2. MLB - it feels like forever that the Raiders have been getting gashed up the middle and torched by TE's. We absolutely need to improve in the middle of the defense. I want to experience an actual quality MLB in a Raiders jersey. In nearly 20 years as a fan, I've seen Kirk Morrison and one year of Nick Roach playing at a moderately decent level - surely it can't be too hard to find someone better than what we've had for so long.
3. WR - Seth Roberts was our #1 WR in two games this season. That speaks for where we are at the position, really.

[NCOUGHMAN]

It’s interesting how we’re all across the board about top 3 needs except the obvious edge/de/ pass rusher 

surprised rb made the list on some 

[Nightmare]

I think RB is a position you can fill relatively easily. Unless you're drafting an Adrian Peterson type guy, I'm happy to stick moderately-priced journeymen in there. Not saying that the likes of Zeke, DJ or Bell wouldn't improve our position; but I just don't think you get the production value for money from these sort of players.

Close to home, look at Doug Martin. A guy who looked totally finished in his last two seasons in TB, has filled in comfortably in place of Marshawn Lynch. Of course we could do better, but if the supporting cast are good, someone like him will be fine.

So, in that sense, RB isn't, and never really will be a big need, imo.

[true2form]

I think everyone is hitting on all of the needs and BP is right, we can't get them all this offseason.  For me it's pretty simple, the best players in this draft are on defense.  We need to grab 3 starters out of our first 4 picks on defense and then supplement in FA as needed.

1. DE - we all know we need a pass rusher and I think we can all agree we needed one before we even traded Mack.  Top pick in the draft and solid FA should be the way we go for 2 new starters. Key, Calhoun, and whoever we can find to compete thereafter for the rotation.

2. MLB - It's been too long as others have mentioned.  White, Wilson, whoever they like best or is available.  Use a pick on a MLB in the 1st round!!

3. WR or RB - I'm not sure which is more important at this point, but we have and I can't stress enough, have to draft at least one of the two positions.  The biggest weakness I've seen from this team late in the season, is lack of playmakers.  No separation from WRs, no big splash plays from the RBs.  We have solid players at both positions, but it's time to add some real difference makers.

Free agency of course will dictate what needs we have going into the draft.  If we can shore up the OL and DBs in free agency, we have a better chance of adding true impact players in this draft.

 

 

 

[NCOUGHMAN]

I’m not set on kolt and the other rook so I think a good young ot is needed it doesn’t matter who you have at wr te or rb if we can’t block. 

I get that kolt is a first rounder so he’ll get a longer leash but the other guy is a third rounder and not really a lock to start or anything 

[Dessie]

11 hours ago, Darbsk said:

 

I guess I see it a little differently, in that my top 3 priorities would be Pass Rusher, Pass Rusher and WR.

I'd double down with a FA pass rusher and a top draft pick, I also feel we absolutely need a good all round target for Carr (assuming Peterman isn't QBoTF ). 

We do need LB help, safety help and to work out whats going on at RB at the very least and I'm terrified that Gruden will break up the interior OL so that'll be a massive black hole too. For the first time in a number of years I'm pessimistic about this team moving forward, we just seem to be creating more holes every time we seem to fill one. Hopefully we'll see the value in resigning Cook or that will be a massive hole too.

Pretty much how I see it tbh. We were in need of a 3rd pass rusher when we had Irvin and Mack, edge rusher is an even bigger issue now. We also need a base DE 

WR would be my next target, pretty obvious we need to get Carr help especially as it’s no guarantee we will get Cook back. Given the way the season has gone it would be a big surprise if he did return tbh.

Whilst Martin has been decent since Lynch went down it hasn’t been enough to say we should ignore the position imo.

[SBXISBXVSBXVIII]

1 hour ago, NCOUGHMAN said:

I’m not set on kolt and the other rook so I think a good young ot is needed it doesn’t matter who you have at wr te or rb if we can’t block. 

I get that kolt is a first rounder so he’ll get a longer leash but the other guy is a third rounder and not really a lock to start or anything 

Jonah Williams says hello

[big_palooka]

25 minutes ago, SBXISBXVSBXVIII said:

Jonah Williams says hello

This OT class is solid. Would have been great if instead of reaching for 2 OTs in a bad class in 2018, the Raiders were patient and landed OT in 2019's class. 

With a historically bad defense who has 12 sacks currently, I can't justify spending a top 5 pick on OT. That has to be a playmaker on D. 

Miller gets next season before you can say he's not the answer. But taking one of Risner, Ford, Little, Cajuste late 1 early 2, I'll sign on for that. 

[Humble_Beast]

2-3 year rebuild is pure BS.....  this is a great defensive draft class so go defense heavy with 3 of the 4 first picks....  we would have one of the fastest, and nicest young cores on defense... fire Tom Cable and run a blocking scheme to our interior line strengths(a previous strength)... add some offense weapons to help Carr with the 90m in cap space.... we have a franchise Qb which 1/3 of League doesn't have on their team... develop our youth too, which is one of the major components for every team success.......

[big_palooka]

3 hours ago, Humble_Beast said:

2-3 year rebuild is pure BS.....  this is a great defensive draft class so go defense heavy with 3 of the 4 first picks....  we would have one of the fastest, and nicest young cores on defense... fire Tom Cable and run a blocking scheme to our interior line strengths(a previous strength)... add some offense weapons to help Carr with the 90m in cap space.... we have a franchise Qb which 1/3 of League doesn't have on their team... develop our youth too, which is one of the major components for every team success.......

You're relying on those draft picks actually hitting. How is it going to be one of the fastest young cores? Where is all this speed coming from and at what positions?

Just getting rid of Cable doesn't make up for two inexperienced OTs. And that unit was suspect in 2017 with Tice lets not forget. 

The Raiders have a franchise QB and not much else. Expecting to just hit home run in the draft and start winning is ignorant. And expecting to buy a team in FA is misguided as well. The franchise type talents get tagged or resigned. There isn't a ton of talent in the FA class. WR is weak. Pass rushers after the big names resign or are franchised are weak. So you're looking to overpay role players? 

2-3 years is honestly, being generous and that's if the majority of these draft picks hit. But Gruden has zero track record of being able to build through the draft, so may want to temper your expectations. 

[BackinBlack]

i will say, teams can be completely rebuilt in 3 years. 
we have 5 first round picks in the next two years... we should be 2 years away from playoffs IMO. (or seriously competing, our division is going to be tough)

we should be able to compete next season.  
It will be Carrs 2nd time ever in the same system for a second year, and the last time he was a legit candidate for MVP before his injury.

we do have a lot of holes, but you can compete with holes. 

I will be very disappointed if we dont hit 6-10 next year. With no games being done at half. 
2020 our first year in Vegas, we should be ready to compete.

They just want this team ready for Vegas.