It’s been a long time since the Oakland Raiders were relevant in the NFL. The last time they were even in the playoff conversation was in 2011, when they were 7-4 after 11 games. That was before they collapsed down the stretch and lost four of their final five.
They haven’t had a winning record or been to the playoffs since losing Super Bowl XXXVII following the 2002 season. The road back to relevance has obviously been long and bumpy, but for the first time in years, there is real hope for the Raiders in 2015. There is a young quarterback ...
The Oakland Raiders' aerial attack left a lot to be desired in 2014.
Despite some flashes throughout the season, the passing game was never able to really get going. There are lots of ways to describe just how disappointing the passing game was, but perhaps the most telling is this: Andre Holmes was Oakland's No. 1 wide receiver last season, and he led the team with 693 yards. That left him as the 53rd-ranked receiver in the league.
To put it another way: There were 52 wide receivers across the entire league that were more productive than the Raiders' No. 1 option.
Clearly, the passing ...
There are two different types of running backs vying for the starting position with the Oakland Raiders. On one hand, you have a larger back who needs more carries but can control the tempo of a game. Then you have a leaner back capable of breaking away for 90 yards at any point in the game.
Trent Richardson is the former and Latavius Murray is the latter. Who should win the position battle?
Murray Not Ready
Head coach Jack Del Rio has preached about earning your spot. What if I told you Murray has 82 career carries, which is equivalent to four games ...
The NFL isn’t just about banging helmets and making spectacular catches. Players must also learn the X’s and O’s to be in the best position to execute.
The Oakland Raiders rookie minicamp shed some light on the mindset of the players and how they digested this first phase in becoming Raiders.
Some rookies were open and honest about their paths to becoming professionals, how they were adjusting and who they’ll rely on in an apprenticeship-type setting.
Here are some of the more intriguing early storylines out of the Raiders’ rookie minicamp.Begin Slideshow
The Oakland Raiders made a point to give quarterback Derek Carr weapons this offseason. General manager Reggie McKenzie added wide receiver Michael Crabtree, running back Roy Helu Jr. and running back Trent Richardson in free agency and then used the No. 4 overall pick on wide receiver Amari Cooper.
It’s not hard to envision an offensive revival for the Raiders starting with Carr and Cooper, but it’s just as possible that tight end Clive Walford, the Raiders' third-round pick, could actually be the central figure. Walford could become Carr’s security blanket on third down, which he desperately needed in 2014, and ...
For NFL rookies, it's important to hit the ground running. A strong start could be the difference between a successful career and never getting a shot to see the field. The Oakland Raiders have plenty of roster opportunities up for the taking—and they'll be open to overachieving rookies.
When it comes to developing talent, positional depth and the "next man up" mentality benefits the unknown with great potential. Inevitably, some rookies will pan out to be great, others will prove to be serviceable in limited roles and some will never get the chance to prove themselves at all.
We'll take a close ...
The Oakland Raiders made some key additions on offense this offseason to help quarterback Derek Carr.
Have the Raiders done enough to improve their offense? What type of offense will they have?
Watch as Adam Lefkoe and Bleacher Report NFL Analyst Chris Simms discuss the Raiders offense in the video above.Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com
Now that the draft and free agency are mostly over, the picture of what the Oakland Raiders' roster will look like next season has started to take shape.
There's a long way to go before next season, and lots of questions about the roster won't be answered until training camp. Once the new coaching staff begins to implement the new offensive and defensive game plans, the expectations of the roster will become clearer.
But the additions that the team has made so far are enough to give an indication about what direction the roster is going at every position.
Here's an early look at ...
The Oakland Raiders selected Amari Cooper with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft.
How will the Raiders use Cooper in Year 1? How good will he be in the NFL?
Watch as Stephen Nelson and Bleacher Report NFL Analyst Chris Simms discuss Cooper's role with the Raiders in the video above.
Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com
A critical part of excelling in the NFL is knowing your assignment and fulfilling your role in the best possible fashion. The Oakland Raiders now have a roster bustling with young talent in need of direction.
The team drafted a couple of hybrid position players. It’s also plausible some current players will become tweeners between positions on the field. Versatility is key, but the Raiders have to use the skill sets in the right places on the field.
Oakland’s coaches should spend the beginning of this offseason defining roles and creating open competition for weaker positions to help players develop and get ...