By: Kevin Le

Last season the Las Vegas Raiders ended the season 8-8, but much has changed since week 17 against Denver. Jon Gruden is in his second stint as head coach and has yet taken this team to the playoffs. General Manager Mike Mayock and Gruden have had a busy off-season making sure the playoff drought ends sooner than later. The Raiders were close to making it last year, but inconsistencies and lack of experience caught up to them. Both offense and defense made strides with signings this summer to shore up any glaring flaws. A positive from last year’s season was the play of quarterback Derek Carr who will be under center week 1. The hiring of Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator will completely shift the play of the struggling defense. These moves have put the Raiders in a position to become a contender and shock the rest of the league. 

Carr is staying Parked 

Derek Carr has his name thrown into the Raiders quarterback carousel every off-season and it never seems to go anywhere. Many call for Carr to get traded from the Raiders, but it wouldn’t make sense from a winning standpoint. Carr is coming off of a great season where he threw for twenty-seven touchdowns with only nine interceptions. With great weapons around him, Carr has shown he can be the guy to lead the Raiders into the playoffs. The offense made strides last season and will look to feature players like Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards. Gruden and Carr have developed a strong relationship each year and this could be the year it pays off. If Carr is under center Week 1 against Baltimore then expect the Raiders to make some noise in the AFC West. 

Defensive woes Over?

The Raiders defensive showcase in 2020 was one to forget with all of the missed plays they left out on the field. Mayock and Gruden hired Gus Bradley as their new defensive coordinator in hopes he turns it around in 2021. With a new scheme in place, Bradley needed the right players to run it effectively. The Raiders started free agency off with a bang, signing defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to pair him with Maxx Crosby. The final signing of the free agency period was Cornerback Casey Hayward, who is familiar with Bradley and his system. Hayward and his veteran presence will help those young players in the secondary right away. Those two alone boost the defense in a place it hasn’t been before. With a new defensive coordinator and new players look for this struggling defense to change the status quo. 

Young Stars ready to Grow

This season the Raiders are betting on their young stars to take off and make the next big step. Players that are primed for a big year are Josh Jacobs, Maxx Crosby, Trayvon Mullen, Jonathan Abram, and Clelin Ferrell. All of these players above were selected in Mike Mayock’s first draft as general manager three years ago. Expectations were set high after they were selected, but all haven’t lived up to the hype. This season seems to be a make-or-break year for them because of where they stand on the roster. They all seem up to the challenge because of their love for being a Raider and what it means to them. Gruden and Mayock look for all their draft picks to make an impact since the time for winning is now. These young stars will look to play big in the path of becoming a contender in 2021.

Optimism in 2021 

There is a lot of buzz in the Raiders organization that this season could lead to the playoffs. Last season showed glimpses of how good this team could be with consistent play from both sides of the ball. Jon Gruden isn’t on the hot seat as head coach, but another year missing the playoffs could do just that. Pressure could do one or two things to the Raiders this season, make or break them. Many fans are ready to see the silver and black in the postseason again and make a deep run. Gruden and Mayock have constructed a roster and a staff that can lead the Raiders to the playoffs and beyond. The Raiders have the makings of being a contender in the NFL this season if all goes well. This coming 2021 season can be one to remember or forget about if you’re a Raiders fanatic.