We’re only two weeks removed from Super Bowl LV, but already looking ahead to next year.
Oddsmakers are already placing odds on Super Bowl LVI and the Chiefs are once again the favorite. The Sports Betting Dime released next season’s Super Bowl odds and have the Chiefs at +550 odds, with the Packers and Buccaneers getting the second-best odds in the league at +900. As for the Raiders, their odds are all the way down to +5000, with only 11 teams are currently getting worse odds to win the Super Bowl in 2022.
Not ideal.
But while the Raiders might be a long shot to win the Super Bowl next year, they should still be considered a good bet to improve overall.
Of the five first-round picks the Raiders made since 2019, only one played more than 70% of their respective offensive/defensive snaps in 2020. Some of the blame for their usage is a reflection of the coaching staff, but injuries also played a role. In theory, each of those players (Abram, Jacobs, Ferrell, Ruggs, and Arnette) should be more productive going forward.
The Raiders also need to get more from their veteran contracts.
The return wasn’t great on Trent Brown, Tyrell Williams, Lamarcus Joyner, and Marcus Mariota this year and the Raiders should be able to get more from the $46 million that those players were/are scheduled to make in 2021.
Williams was cut by the team a week ago and Joyner will most likely be next. Mariota has been the topic of trade rumors for weeks and there seems to be a growing sense that he will be released if not traded. No one knows exactly what the Raiders’ plans are for Brown, but there is a good chance that Jon Gruden won’t view his $14 million salary in 2021 to be worth the risk.
Look for the Raiders to be aggressive again in free agency and add at least one proven pass rusher. Keep an eye on Chargers defensive end, Melvin Ingram, who has a history with new Raiders defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. Ingram will be 32 years-old when the season begins and figures to be relatively affordable. Adding a player like Leonard Williams, who may also make it to free agency, would also make a lot of sense for the Raiders.
One other detail to watch might be the Raiders first-round pick in the upcoming draft. Given the team’s sense of urgency right now and the way rookies have panned out for Gruden over the last few years, the Raiders might be a good bet to deal that pick for a veteran player.
twitter: @raidersbeat
You mention that Tyrell Williams was cut a week ago… are you sure? All I remember is a number of articles quoting someone who said he is sure to be cut. I just checked the Transactions page on the Raider’s official website and there is no mention of Williams being released.
This is not a surprise. Each year it’s acquire cheap discarded players, next year throw em out and replace with the same. Draft for this and that with 30% success factor. Throw in a washed up coach and a QB with a 42% win factor and guess what ? I’d say right now with Carr as QB, Raiders are 6-10
Cutting players for salary cap reasons is one thing but keeping non productive players on your roster is quite another. Obviously, the Raiders haven’t “improved” enough since Jon Gruden’s return and virtually no sportswriter is holding him accountable. It’s totally understandable that Mark Davis doesn’t hold Jon Gruden accountable since, by his own admission, Mark Davis has said, “… the only thing that I know about football is what I don’t know about football.” He has lots of company because, given his won / loss record with the Raiders since his return, Jon Gruden has not shown that he currently understand the dynamics of professional football either. No other team in the NFL, or NFL coach for that matter, would keep and then resign the statistically worst quarterback in NFL history. It’s an absolutely foolish move and does not help the Raiders in any way whatsoever. What it is, is money, time and a roster spot wasted but it’s Mark Davis’ money so who gives a ****? Last season, Jon Gruden “gave” Demarius Randall 1.5 million dollars and then cut him. Another example of wasted money because of piss poor decision making by Jon Gruden but has any sportswriter held him accountable? NO!!!! The truth is that until Jon Gruden leaves this team, the Raiders have a snowball’s chances in hell of winning a Super Bowl. Forgive me for thinking that winning a Super Bowl is the objective for playing this sort. Even mediocre teams are at least “trying” to win the Super Bowl. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins have turned their franchise around in ONE year. The Cleveland Browns have become relevant again since God knows when. The Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams even have emerged from mediocrity. Why??? because of CHANGES that have improved the outlook for their respective teams. The blame and continued ineptness of this team lies squarely upon the shoulders of Jon Gruden and we dedicated Raider fans are sick of his foolishness and him. Todd Bowles, Eric Bienemy or Wade Philiphs could do a better job and deserve the opportunity to do so. Tenured Raiders fans already know that what Jon Gruden does best is talk a good game. He should be allowed to return to that forum. So, in the interim, until he leaves, let’s all get ready for more sorry *** decisions, junior varsity play calling, substandard player signings and another losing season. Since the rest of the professional football world is laughing at Jon Gruden, Mark Davis and the Raiders, we might as well prepare ourselves too to laugh at the JOKE that this football team and it’s “leadership” has become. Plus 5000 to win the Super Bowl huh? What more possible motivation could a REAL head coach need to get serious and turn things around? Impossible? No, not really since a guy named Belichik turned a previously 4-12 into a Super Bowl winner with the 199th pick, at quarterback, in the draft, in his rookie season. Just goes to show that “the right coach” can work wonders.
i say free up as much money as can 2 things that bother me if the raiders are having a good year an carr gets hurt not real bad but has to miss 2 games do you or anybody trust are backup qb and iwould spend alot of money on 1 reliable free agent as of 2 maybe get luckey on 32 an older players as i have said before we need d look what tampa did to kc as far as draft i like defence but the foundation of any football team is offince line if we get rid of 2 linemen we might have to look at a good guard or tackel one last thing i would be leary of alabama players they play good team ball but not so good as a inviduial player through the years the raiders have had bad luck with most of them
Jon Gruene is a liability? Pardon me while I disagree completely. His first year in his return as Raiders coach, a year in which they were in total rebuild mode, he went 4-12. The next year he went 7-9. Last year they went 8-8. That is progress every single year.
The Raiders were in shambles when he got there. Now they are on an upward trajectory. Derek Carr is an outstanding QB. The problem the Raiders have is with their defense. That is going to be addressed this year.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Raiders win their division next year.
Lance, certainly EVERYTHING changes, in life. That is an undeniable fact. However, there is a thing called precedence. If you should look at Jon Gruden’s RECORD of yearly collapses in the second half of football seasons, you will see that his track record is abysmal. I have been a Raiders fan since 1968 and want, with all my heart and soul, for the Raiders to become relevant again. It is very reasonable for you to believe that marginal progress, going from 4 to 7 to 8 wins, is a team headed in the right direction but any graph charting this teams “progress, over the past three years, would show that there is going to be a long time before this team reaches the desired goal. I can easily believe that a different coach with a different perspective could get better results from this team, as it currently exist. In my opinion, Jon Gruden’s coaching and decision making are mediocre, at best. Apparently, you and Mark Davis are satisfied with this “incremental progress.” I believe that I and many more Raiders fans are not and that someone else could do better. With respect to “winning a Divisional Title.” Last season was the prime time to do that but, in my opinion, it was the Raiders “leadership” that faltered and prevented the Raiders from doing so. We ALL know that this is true, whether we choose to admit it or not. Therefore, the self-evident reason that the Raiders did not compete for a Divisional Title last season was/is because of Jon Gruden’s history of second half of the season collapses. Again, this is a documented pattern of behavior that has played out multiple times over numerous seasons. “Maybe” this tiger (Jon Gruden) can change it’s stripes or this leopard can change it’s spots but his HISTORY does not show that. Optimism is what EVERY Raiders fan starts the year with. Personally, I hope that I am wrong and that Gruden finally breaks his documented pattern of second half of the season collapses but I won’t be betting any money on it any time soon.