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After winning just four wins in Jon Gruden's first year, the Raiders spent the first months of the off season meeting some of their biggest needs. Antonio Brown, even at 30, is a talent that changes the game. He will be joined by former Chargers bandout Tyrell Williams. And left tackle Trent Brown just finished a good season for the Patriots, who have just won their sixth Lombardi Trophy. And former Rams goalie Lamarcus Joyner, who played Brown in the Super Bowl, adds depth to the high school.
But when you are the worst team in your division and the second AFC team, there is still a lot to do. Fortunately, the Raiders won four of the top 35 picks in the NFL draft in 2019, including three top picks (# 4, # 24, # 27). So what combination of talents would give them the best chance to go from laughter to .500 or better in one season? We will take a look.
Start with rusher pass
We all know history now. The Raiders did not want to pay Khalil Mack a year ago and ended up sending it to the Bears for two first round picks. Then, Gruden spent the first month of the season lamenting the lack of passes. About a month later, Oakland released Bruce Irvin, who at the time was leading the team with three sacks.
Arden Key, their choice for the third round in 2018, has shown promise at times last season, but he has managed only one sack despite his 350 games. It is expected to improve in 2019, but that does not change the fact that the Raiders desperately need repellents. With choice # 4, they could aim for Josh Allen of Kentucky, or he should already be missing, Ride Mississippi State Sweatshirt, who had an excellent senior season (14.5 tackles for defeat, 12 sacks) and blow up the Senior Bowl. and the combine harvester. Another option might be Rashan Gary, one of the best athletes in the preliminary class. Then there's Brian Burns, who played at about 235 pounds last season for Florida State, but who went to the combine for 249 and still had a 4.53 yard run to 40 yards. He reminds us of Aldon Smith, the No. 7 pick in 2011, who had 14 sacks as a go-against in his rookie campaign.
Despite all the talk about the depth of the defensive line in 1919, things are starting to dry up quickly. Seven strikers could qualify for the first round: Nick Bosa, Allen, Sweat, Gary, Burns, Clelin Ferrell and Jachai Polite. And most of these names could be excluded from the board by choice # 20 or more. Which means that if the Raiders wait to return to number 24, all the high-level attackers could be gone.
Start with the best player available
In our latest draft dummy two rounds, published a few hours before the frenzy of free agencies, the Raiders won Quinnen Williams in fourth place. He is one of the best players in this project. he just plays an inner defensive line. But it's not because he's not in need that the Raiders have to neglect him for lesser talent. There is also this: Williams is almost irreproachable, and if the pressure rises in the center, so much the better.
Remember the constant conversations about how to beat Tom Brady? "You have to put pressure on him in the middle!" That's what Williams does best! Oakland could take Williams earlier and use subsequent playoffs to get back on the first lap to get a better result, or wait to see how the chart unfolds before him. Jachai Polite, who had 11 sacks and 19.5 tackles for last season's loss to Florida, could still be available, mainly because he would have had a dreadful combine and that, pretty much or not, it could bring down his stocks. But if Gruden manages to make Antonio Brown work in Oakland, why not be interested in Polite, who could be a special talent?
With their last choice in the first round, the Raiders could continue to rebuild the secondary. In our last draft, we had them pick Michigan State cornerback Justin Layne. Former wide receiver, Layne has fantastic ball skills. He is also 6-foot-3, physical in the line of scrimmage and has had a very good season for the Spartans. In other words: Oakland will have got one of the best players in the draft in Williams and will fill two huge needs: Rusher and the cornerback, with Polite and Layne, all in the first round and after landing Antonio Brown, Williams and Trent. Brown and Joyner.
Go crazy and add offensive weapons
The Raiders could also decide to join the offensive with several of these first choices and to try to find hidden defensive gems on days 2 and 3. It's risky, but it's not easy. is from Gruden as we speak.
First of all: we can not rule out the possibility that Oakland can trade against Kyler Murray. That should not happen, but again … that is Gruden we are talking about. Such a decision could require two first players, which seems to be a steep asking price considering all the needs of this team. This is all the more reason to stay with Carr who, after a difficult start, seemed to put himself at ease in Gruden 's offensive. (In fact, Carr finished with a completion percentage of 68.9, his highest level in career.) Moreover, after Brown's introductory press conference, he had a HGTV moment, surprising Carr to his home:
Maybe that's an indication that Carr is pretty sure to lead the Raiders in 2019. And if we're ready to concede, what are the other offensive targets that the team could focus on?
Assuming the Raiders are still defending with choice # 4, here's how the rest of the first round could go:
No. 24: Noah Fant. The tight end of Iowa reminds us of Evan Engram and he would obviously replace Jared Cook, 32, who is a free agent. It should be noted that Cook led the Raiders in goals (101) last season and was tied with the team leader in receptions (68).
No. 27: Joshua Jacobs. The Alabama running back has made comparisons with Alvin Kamara, but he has a bigger frame while keeping Kamara's elixion. Jacobs is also a good blocker who excels at catching passes coming out of the backfield.
And there is still a chance that Polite is on the board at number 35, when the Raiders return to the clock.
To sum it up, Oakland's low season transportation might look like this:
Free agency
- WR: Antonio Brown, Tyrell Williams
- OT: Trent Brown
- S: Lamarcus Joyner
Possible drafts
- DT: Quinnen Williams
- TE: Noah Fant
- RB: Josh Jacobs
BORDER: Jachai Polite
This – on paper, in any case – does not look like a four-victory outfit.
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