NFL PREVIEW: 2020 LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

BY ADAM GREENE

Key Additions: ILB Cory Littleton (free agent), CB Prince Amukamara (free agent), QB Marcus Mariota (free agent), TE Jason Witten (free agent), WR Nelson Agholor (free agent), S Damarious Randall (free agent), S Jeff Heath (free agent). RG Eric Kush (free agent), OLB/DE Carl Nassib (free agent), TE Nick O’Leary (free agent), ILB Nick Kwiatkoski (free agent), RB Devontae Booker (free agent)

2020 NFL Draft: WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama (round 1), CB Damon Arnett, Ohio State (round 1), WR Lynn Bowden Jr., Kentuck (round 3), WR Bryan Edwards, South Carolina (round 3), S Tanner Muse, Clemson (round 3), OG John Simpson, Clemson (round 4), CB Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech (round 4)

Projected Offensive Starters: QB Derek Carr, RB Josh Jacobs, WR Tyrell Williams, WR Henry Ruggs III, WR Hunter Renfrow, TE Darren Waller, LT Kolton Miller, LG Richie Incognito, C Rodney Hudson, RG Gabe Jackson, RT Trent Brown

Projected Defensive Starters: LDE Clelin Ferrell, LDT Maliek Collins, RDT Johnathan Hankins, RDE Maxx Crosby, WLB Nick Kwiatkoski, MLB Cory Littleton, SLB Nicholas Morrow, LCB Trayvon Mullen, RCB Prince Amukamara, SS Johnathan Abram, FS Damarious Randall

K: Daniel Carlson

P: A.J. Cole

Head Coach: John Gruden

2019 Record: 7-9, 3^rd place AFC West

A Look Back: In the history of the NFL, there may not be a worse contract than the one Raiders head coach Jon Gruden currently enjoys. Two seasons ago he reportedly signed a 10-year, $100 million contract to return to the team as its head coach and has won all of 11 games since. I’m no mathematician, but my calculator says that means that the Raiders have paid him over $1.8 million a victory over that span. I don’t feel like that’s a solid return on investment.

The then Oakland Raiders opened up 2019 with the distraction-palooza that was the Antonio Brown saga laid bare for all to see thanks to the team being featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks. From his helmet, to his feet to his multiple accusations of sexual assault and run ins with the authorities, Brown almost single-handedly derailed Oakland’s season before it started. When it did start, without AB, it left a lot to be desired.

Usually when a team’s on the upswing, they finish the year strong. The Raiders lost five of their last six and only two of them were close. They were blown out by the New York Jets for God’s sake, 34-3.

2020 Projection: But a new year brings hope and a new location, as the team packed up its facilities and headed east to the desert oasis of no distractions whatsoever, Las Vegas. This should work out great.

Vegas didn’t stand pat in free agency again, improving their team, especially on defense without adding any cancerous alleged sexual assaulters in the process. Not that they lack a crazy ass as Richie Incognito, a year removed from a suspension for threatening to shoot up a funeral home because they wouldn’t let him chop off his dead father’s head, remains employed with the team.

Projected 2020 Record: 8-8. As of right now the Raiders pay at -105 at over 7.5 wins and -200 at 5-9 victories. The AFC West is top-heavy with the Chiefs, a team the Raiders are in no position to catch. Gruden has done nothing to prove he has the slightest clue how to run a franchise since he returned to the league and their schedule does them no favors with out of division match ups with the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts.

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