The Raiders are a team that made major moves this offseason. They picked up a new head coach, added a star wide receiver, cut an under performing receiver, and added a deep threat receiver to their roster.

The Raiders signed their former coach and Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden to a 10 year 100 million dollar contract this offseason. It’s been 9 years since Gruden coached in the NFL but he couldn’t have stepped into a better situation than this one. Just 2 years ago the Raiders went 12-4 and were looking like a super bowl threat until Derek Carr broke his leg late in the season. They went on to lose in the playoffs but the team has major potential for a strong comeback.

I expect Derek Carr to put up stats that closely resemble those he had in 2016. It takes some time for an athlete to fully recover from a leg injury. Jon Gruden knows how to run a very efficient offense and he can get the most out of the players he has. This team could be competing for a championship for years to come.

Aside from picking up a great head coach the Raiders made other moves during the offseason. They were able to add Jordy Nelson to pair with Amari Cooper. Nelson was always a top target for Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay and though his stats declined last season, this was in part because Rodgers was out the majority of the year. The Raiders also parted ways with Michael Crabtree who had been under performing and they added another deep threat by picking up Martavis Bryant.

My 2018 prediction for the Oakland Raiders, they win AFC West and make it to AFC championship game.

NFL / jordy nelson

The Oakland Raiders: A 2018 Season Preview

The Oakland Raiders: A 2018 Season Preview

The Oakland Raiders: A 2018 Season Preview