The Oakland Raiders were one of the worst teams in the NFL last season after going just 4-12 and finishing near the bottom of the AFC West, but after a solid draft and free agency period, the team appears ready to move in the right direction.
The team traded for quarterback Matt Flynn and dealt away Carson Palmer to the Arizona Cardinals to make up for the lost draft picks, putting general manager Reggie McKenzie in a great position to add depth a talent to the roster, which he did by making a few more moves on draft day. The team traded down in the first round with the Miami Dolphins, who moved up to take Dion Jordan with the number three pick, while the Raiders were able to gain picks, drop back and still select the player they wanted in D.J. Hayden.
The Raiders ended up with 10 draft picks by the time everything was all said and done and one of their best picks could end up being Hayden as well as quarterback Tyler Wilson, who they drafted out of Arkansas in the fourth round. While the team sees Flynn as the starter for the immediate future, Wilson is the type of player that could end up being an Aaron Rodgers type steal in the draft, as he has a big arm and played against some of the best teams in the nation while in the SEC. Wilson was considered a top pick the previous season, but after a rough year with the Razorbacks he dropped down and that could end up being a huge steal for the Raiders down the line.
Wilson and Terrelle Pryor are the main quarterbacks competing with Flynn, but after the Raiders gave up draft picks to get Flynn, chances are they will give him the chance to start until they can't anymore. Pryor was considered to be the presumed backup before the Raiders drafted Wilson and now it is likely that the two will duke it out to see who will be second in line. The Raiders added a number of offensive players in the draft after focusing on defense during free agency and the biggest impact could come from tight end Nick Kasa from Colorado, who will take over from Brandon Myers, who left for the Giants as a free agent. Myers was the leading receiver for the team with 79 catches for over 800 yards last season, but he is now gone and Kasa along with wideouts Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore will be asked to step things up for the team this coming season with Flynn in the fold. The team also took running back Latavius Murray and he could be a huge addition if Darren McFadden gets hurt again this season.
The Raiders ranked eighth in passing last year, but were 28th in rushing yards and need a consistent attack to be successful this season. Head coach Dennis Allen is working on overhauling the offensive line and adding a new running back will only help Flynn. The free agent moves are also key for the Raiders this season, as they signed two new starting cornerbacks in Mike Jenkins and Tracy Porter, who will help improve the 20th ranked passing defense. The team also added Nick Roach and Kevin Burnett at linebacker and that should greatly improve the unit. The Raiders moves may not put the team in the playoffs, but there is a good chance that the team will be better than the 4-12 record they had in 2012.