Sports Genius - Offseason Overview: Oakland Raiders lyrics

A franchise that was once heralded as a standard for success in the NFL, the Oakland Raiders are carrying the stench of a team that hasn't been in the playoffs for the last decade. With the help of Dennis Allen, Reggie McKenzie & his bevy of consultants (+ $60 million in capspace) the Raiders are hoping to ditch the stigma of instability, and revamp a tarnished culture that was once one of the NFL's most proud teams. It's safe to say the Raiders have had a helluva offseason. Let's take a look at the key players they've brought in to aid in the restoration of the illustrious legacy that the late great Al Davis left behind. Key Signing #1: Justin Tuck The Raiders were a very lackluster team last year in terms of rushing the pa**er, placing a mediocre 18th in total QB takedowns. Insert Justin Tuck. The former New York Giants captain (and leading pa** rusher) inked a 2 year deal with the Silver & Black in hopes to help the Raiders ailing pa** rush. Tuck tallied 11 sacks last year, and is hoping to help the Raiders DB's fend off the Denver Broncos aerial a**ault. Key Signing #2: LaMarr Woodley When you share a division with Peyton Manning, Phillip Rivers, and Alex Smith you can never have enough pa** rushers. Despite being a former All-Pro, Woodley's been relatively non productive the last few years. But, when paired with players just as efficient he could be, he's shown to be a force to be reckoned with. However, like everyone else I'm anxious to see how well he will translate from a base 3-4 LB to a DE in the 4-3 front. Key Signing #3: Donald Penn With the departure of Jared Veldheer, the Raiders were left with a huge whole to feel at LT. Oakland did a fine job doing just that with the signing of monstrous LT Donald Penn, who is a great fit in Coach Dennis Allen's run heavy scheme. Penn spent the last 6 years stonewalling defenders on the regular for Tampa Bay, even earning a Pro Bowl honors in 2010. Key Signing #4: Antonio Smith To add even more veteran presence, the Raiders added former pro bowl 3-4 DE Antonio Smith who will translate into a conventional Defensive Tackle in the Raiders 4-3. The pick up became an absolute necessity when their best run stopper Lamarr Houston jettisoned to the Chicago Bears. They will be able to absorb the shock a lot better with the acquisition of Smith who lingered in the shadows of J.J. Watt. Though it's arguable that the reason Smith was productive because of the extra attention given to Watt, he will now have the opportunity to make his mark in Oakland. Key Signing #5: Maurice Jones-Drew By bringing in Jones-Drew, the Raiders now have a potential dynamic duo on offense, to complement their one on defense. At the very least Jones-Drew offers insurance to the disappointing Darren Mcfadden, who may be in his d**h throes as a starter in the NFL. Jones-Drew also gives the raiders the ability to slow down games when they face high octane teams that they can't keep pace with. He's a hard bruising runner, and Raiders fans should be happy to have a sense of stability at RB. Other notable acquisitions: QB Matt Schaub, CB Carlos Rogers, CB Tarrell Brown, WR James Jones, OG Kevin Boothe, OT Austin Howard) Summary: The years of the Raiders being the least talented in the league are over. They were able to reinvigorate both sides of the ball with potential star power, and look to have a productive 2014. They definitely aren't bona fide Playoff contenders, but look for them to turn their franchise around for the coming years.