Oakland Raiders Postseason

Begin Oakland Raider fans. It has been 12 years since we’ve made the playoffs. Oakland Raider The harsh yet honest truth. However, Oakland Raider I am willing to say that we will get there this year. Oakland Raider A few reasons why: On March 13, 2014 the Oakland Raiders signed what could be the best defensive men we’ve had in a while. LaMarr Woodley and Justin Tuck. Oakland Raider Get used to those names being said quite a bit when our defense is on the field. Oakland Raider These guys have something to prove and they’re looking to do it with the Raiders. Oakland Raider On the offensive side of the ball, I was quite amazed with what Reggie McKenzie brought in. Oakland Raider Matt Schaub, James Jones, and Maurice Jones-Drew. Now I can’t be the only fan thinking we got lucky for being able to sign Schaub. I personally think the Texans gave up way too easy. Yes, he had an abysmal season last year but that’s no reason to trade him for a 6th round pick. Oakland Raider Also, I know for a fact that I was not the only Raider fan who cried a little bit when I heard the news that Rashad Jennings was leaving for New York and Darren McFadden had been resigned. But since then, McKenzie has made it clear he wants to win now. Bringing in MJD is going to make an instant impact for us. Yes, MJD & DMC both bring an injury prone running duo to the table yet deep down inside I feel one of them is due a 2000 yard season. (I’d be fine with both). Now, to the best part in my eyes. Oakland Raider When was the last time the Raiders had a receiver that was reliable more than 50% of the time? I am looking forward to Schaub connecting with Jones on 20+ yard receptions/touchdowns. Oakland Raider We are bringing in old guys, Oakland Raider but these guys that are “over the hill” in the eyes of most analysts are winners. And they bring competition to the table. All the Nation needs is hope. Oakland Raider Next to “old man” LaMarr Woodley will be our 1st round pick Khalil Mack. (6 ft 3 in, 248 lbs) The 23 year old coming from Buffalo is going to be the main man on our defense. Oakland Raider He was the MAC Defensive Player of The Year in 2013 and is looking to pick up where he left off in 2014. Oakland Raider I am definitely looking forward to the 2014 Season. My prediction is that we go 8-8 or better.  As the great Bo Jackson once said “Set your goals high, Oakland Raider and don’t stop till you get there” Let’s set our goals to playoffs and hope for the best. Oakland Raider Have an amazing day Raider Nation Oakland Raider.

linebacker Mack impresses with athleticism

Oakland Raiders Some players make you want to draw, and there was Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver on draft night scribbling down possible formations and pass rushes as he waited for Oakland's first pick to arrive. Oakland Raiders The Raiders got their man, Oakland Raiders taking Buffalo outside linebacker Khalil Mack with the fifth pick of the first round, Oakland Raiders and the special athlete now has teammates excited after a month of practices and a three-day minicamp, Oakland Raiders which ended Thursday. Offensive tackle Donald Penn said the 6-foot-3, Oakland Raiders 255-pound Mack "moves like a defensive back" and "has a motor that's relentless." Quarterback Matt Schaub said it's early and players aren't wearing pads yet, but he can see the comparison to his former Texans teammate J.J. Watt, Oakland Raiders the 2012 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. "You can see the impact that he can create," Schaub said. "You can see his physical gifts and his ability to shed blockers and be able to disrupt the passer and the timing of the route." Even coach Dennis Allen, who'd rather bite his tongue than make grand overstatements, has been gushing over Mack. He said Mack's power, length and ability to bend and move reminds him of feared Broncos pass rusher Von Miller, who Allen coached in Denver in 2011. "I know we've thrown out some comparisons, I've thrown out some comparisons, but really I'm focused on Khalil Mack being the best football player that he can be," Allen said. "I think he's an outstanding talent. I think he's got a huge upside. If he continues to work the way that he has, I think he'll fulfill those goals and the expectations that we have of him." Mack doesn't worry about the expectations to be a playmaker. "I'm a relaxed individual," Mack said. "I don't really think 'pressure, pressure, pressure.' I think, 'OK, this is what it is, work on this, work on that, do your job.' " Mack will start at strong-side outside linebacker, but will also move around and have his hand on the ground as a third-down pass rusher. "We've got his head spinning right now, which is a good thing," Allen said. "We're going to throw as much at him as we can into the early part of training camp, and then we'll settle down into the things we can execute as a team at a high level." Mack said he is still getting comfortable before each play, figuring out all of the defensive calls by teammates. Oakland Raiders "It is a lot of voices behind my head, Oakland Raiders trying to figure out what safeties are saying," Mack said. Oakland Raiders "You've got to listen to the right things. I'm trying to break down and assess the game at a high level like those guys are." Oakland Raiders Once the play is over, Mack seeks the voices of defensive stalwarts Justin Tuck and Lamarr Woodley. Oakland Raiders "It'd be dumb for me not to ask questions knowing the skill level they play with and that they're pretty much the best in the game when it comes to pass rushing," Mack said. Oakland Raiders The players all went their separate ways Thursday, Oakland Raiders to return to training camp July 24 in Napa. Mack doesn't relish the time off. "I want to work on stuff tomorrow if I could," Oakland Raiders he said. "I want to do what I can to prepare myself, especially for training camp and be that immediate impact player," Oakland Raiders.  

Oakland Raiders' offseason roster

Oakland Raiders After a few fits and starts to begin free agency, Oakland Raiders the Raiders rebuilt their offensive and defensive lines and addressed the secondary and offensive backfield while adding veterans with championship pedigrees. Oakland Raiders  In the draft, Oakland scooped up the best player available in linebacker Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders who has been nothing short of impressive in the offseason workouts, Oakland Raiders while picking up the franchise's quarterback of the future in Derek Carr (who has been elevated to second string) and a potential starter at left guard in Gabe Jackson. Oakland Raiders  But if you think the Raiders are done tinkering with the 90-man roster, think again. General manager Reggie McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen have said all along they expect to make moves that, in their estimation, make the Raiders a better football team.   Plus, they have money to play with when entertaining such ideas. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Raiders still have more than $10.7 million in salary-cap space. But again, to paraphrase McKenzie's refrain, just because he has money in his pocket does not mean he's going to spend it on junk.   Sure, $10 million may sound like a lot, and the Raiders are far from a perfect unit Allen himself equated his roster situation to a kid sitting on Santa's lap and not getting everything he asked for but Oakland's cap surplus pales in comparison to the likes of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have more than $27 million in cap space. Yet it's enough to make the New Orleans Saints and their relatively meager $1.9 million in cap space squint with jealousy.   Still, are there any free agents still out there who would put the Raiders coming off consecutive 4-12 seasons and with the NFL's toughest strength of schedule in 2014 over the top?  Yes, the Raiders could still use a true No. 1 receiver. They could also use some veteran help at tight end. And sure, Oakland Raiders with D.J. Hayden's injury, another tried and tested cornerback would seemingly fit the bill, Oakland Raiders which is why the Raiders non-pursuit of Brandon Flowers was a head-scratcher of sorts. Instead, Oakland Raiders Flowers went from one division rival (the Kansas City Chiefs) to another (the San Diego Chargers).  Oakland Raiders McKenzie has already made an assortment of minor roster moves this offseason, Oakland Raiders and with more than $10 million still at his disposal, Oakland Raiders what he decides to do with it will tell you all you need to know about how he feels about the current roster.  Oakland Raiders Should McKenzie stand pat, or are there players out there he should target? Oakland Raiders Would it be more prudent to possibly use that salary-cap space on camp cut, Oakland Raiders.

Oakland Raiders’s offseason

Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders' offseason workouts began on April 22. Oakland Raiders They concluded Thursday with the end of a mandatory three-day minicamp. Oakland Raiders So what did Dennis Allen, entering his third season as the Raiders' head coach, glean from nearly two months of being around his team as it begins its reconstruction in earnest, especially with training camp about five weeks away? Oakland Raiders Consider Every Raiders draft pick is signed and every Raiders player under contract was in attendance for the minicamp. No contract haggling, squabbling or unnecessary drama. "I like the direction we're headed as a football team," Allen said. Oakland Raiders "I think we've got a group of guys that are committed to winning. I think they're committed to this organization, and I think we have a lot of guys who have a lot to prove. That's an exciting thing for a football coach. That's an exciting thing for these football players. "So I like our direction, I like our commitment and we've just got to keep working. Oakland Raiders " An infusion of veteran talent with past success, especially on the defensive side of the ball, such as Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley and Antonio Smith as well as Oakland taking linebacker Khalil Mack with the No. 5 overall draft pick  has given the team a new identity. And on offense, the Raiders have a seasoned, new quarterback in Matt Schaub and a hot prospect in second-round draft pick Derek Carr, who has overtaken Matt McGloin as Oakland's second-string signal-caller. Injury-wise, guard Lucas Nix (knee) is the only player Allen sees as potentially missing the start of training camp, even though cornerback D.J. Hayden (foot) participated in just one organized team activities (OTAs) session and linebacker Kevin Burnett (ankle) and Smith (undisclosed) missed them all while recovering from injuries. Allen was asked if there was a palpable feel on the practice field that this was, indeed, a better team than he had the previous two years. "I don't think there's any question you can feel that," Allen said. "You guys have been around here too, Oakland Raiders so I think you've seen these practices around here for a while. " Oakland Raiders I think we've had an outstanding offseason and I think our team from the day that we started the offseason program to where we're at now, we've improved tremendously. But we've still got to go out there and do it when we get to training camp and do it when we get to the regular season," Oakland Raiders the end.