After the Raiders traded away Khalil Mack before the 2018 season, it was evident that the team wasn’t trying to compete for a playoff spot. Instead, head coach Jon Gruden knew that last season was a rebuilding year and the team was trying to get inside of the top-five picks to secure an elite pass rusher. Mission accomplished.
But could the Raiders be in a position where they could “tank” in 2019, as well? According to Barry Werner of the Touchdown Wire, the Raiders are one of the few teams could be competing for the No. 1 pick next season:
Oakland has finished with a win percentage greater than .500 once since 2003. That is once. That run includes 12 10-plus loss seasons. The Silver and Black have picked up Antonio Brown. Before you think that guarantees a lot of yardage, check Cooper, Amari. There is no reason to think Jon Gruden will turn a 4-12 team into a nine-win team in his second season.
If Oakland finds out early in the season that they aren’t ready to compete in the AFC, it’s not totally unrealistic to think they could be in a position to tank, especially if they don’t believe Derek Carr is the answer at quarterback.
With Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa being widely considered the best quarterback prospect to enter the draft in years, the Raiders could opt to throw away their season at a chance of grabbing the next All-Pro passer.
However, don’t expect this to be the case for the Raiders. They have too much talent on both sides of the ball, and they have a coach who wants to win now. Look for the Raiders to be much closer to making the playoffs rather than competing for the No. 1 pick.
