The NBA free agency period is upon us, and teams across the league are making significant moves. Franchises such as the Brooklyn Nets and New Orleans Pelicans are “winning” the offseason, so far.
In the NFL, it was the Oakland Raiders who won the offseason, trading for Antonio Brown and signing big-name players such as Trent Brown, Lamarcus Joyner, Vontaze Burfict, and Tyrell Williams. But not everyone is convinced that Oakland’s roster improved a ton over the last few months.
In a recent piece by ESPN and Pro Football Focus, the two believe the Raiders have just the 28th-best roster in the NFL, heading into the 2019 season.
The one position that ESPN and Pro Football Focus are low on for the Raiders is at linebacker. Despite the additions of veterans Burfict and Brandon Marshall, neither are convinced they will provide an upgrade over the likes of Tahir Whitehead or Jason Cabinda. Take a look at their thoughts on the position heading into the season:
Biggest weakness: The Raiders’ roster still has many question marks, but no position group needs more work than the linebackers. Vontaze Burfict (47.9 overall grade in 2018), Brandon Marshall (64.2) and Tahir Whitehead (56.3) are slated to see the bulk of the snaps. That doesn’t bode well for the team in terms of pass coverage, as all three allowed a passer rating of at least 95.0 into their coverage last season, and their combined performance yielded a passer rating of 130.2.
While the Raiders may lack talent at linebacker, the rest of the roster is significantly better than where they were last season. With a much-improved offense (specifically at receiver and offensive line), it wouldn’t be a shock to see this team compete for a playoff spot right away. This is a team trending in the right direction with a lot of talent at the right positions.
