The Raiders start OTAs on Monday and it’s the last few weeks of practice before the players are off for the summer. While these practices are closed to the media, there will certainly be tidbits that start to leak from practice.
But as we head into the summer, how do the Raiders stack up against the rest of the NFL? They’ve certainly made a bunch of big moves, but will that translate to success?
In a recent article by Peter King of NBC Sports, he ranked all 32 teams going into the summer. The Raiders came in at No. 13, one spot ahead of the Denver Broncos. Here is a snippet of what King had to say about the new-look Raiders:
“Nice quiet offseason for the Raiders. New GM, new coach, new offensive superstar, new pass-rush superstar. Dave Ziegler, Josh McDaniels, Davante Adams, Chandler Jones: The spotlight is on all of you, right now.
Adams has 432 catches and 47 TDs in his last four seasons playing with Aaron Rodgers; Jones had 59.5 sacks in his last four full seasons in Arizona. Those are huge adds. A defense with Maxx Crosby and Jones rushing the passer is almost as threatening as Darren Waller and Adams challenging defenses from day one.”
The Raiders are certainly a better team on paper now than they were a year ago, but the AFC is so much stronger than at any point last season. All four teams in the AFC West believe their Super Bowl window is now and that will create a ton of competition in the division.
The Raiders are one of the better teams in the league, but they will certainly be tested during the 2022 season. If they can find a way to make the playoffs again this year, they will be among the most battle-tested teams in the NFL.