The Raiders had a very average offense last year after several injuries to their playmakers and their offensive line. However, they were good enough to win 10 games and make the playoffs.
But if they actually want to compete in the AFC again this year, they will need to be much better than that. So what is the ceiling for this offense and where do they compare to the rest of the league?
In a recent article by Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, he ranked all 32 offenses heading into the 2022 NFL season. He ranked the Raiders at No. 6, just outside the top five. Here is a snippet of what Knox had to say about the offense for the Raiders this season:
“However, the Las Vegas passing attack was terrific. Derek Carr had a Pro Bowl-caliber season at quarterback, while weapons like Hunter Renfrow, Darren Waller and Bryan Edwards helped lift the Raiders to a postseason berth.
An offense that ranked sixth in passing and 11th in total yards will be even better after the arrival of Davante Adams. The Raiders traded for Carr’s college teammate and now boast arguably the best receiving corps in the league.”
While the big story is obviously the addition of Adams to an already good passing attack, Knox pointed out that the key to their success this year will be their run game.
Too often, the Raiders struggled to run the ball and couldn’t keep teams honest. But if the offensive line can stay relatively healthy, Josh Jacobs (and company) should have a big season against light boxes. If they can run the ball efficiently, there is no reason why the Raiders can’t have one of the best offenses in the league.
With as much as the Raiders have invested into their offense over the last few years, they need their offense to be among the best in the league in order to have a chance in the AFC. Could they finish inside the top five? That remains to be seen. But they certainly won’t be lacking the talent to do so.