#1 Oakland Raiders
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If there is one word to describe these Raiders it is “explosive” – not necessarily in a good way however.
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Look at all the personalities on the team – a kind of crazy coach in Jon Gruden, a diva wide receiver in Antonio Brown who just forced a trade, a semi-sentenced offensive lineman in Richie Incognito, the most suspended player on a yearly basis in linebacker Vontaze Burfict, a move to Las Vegas looming and Hard Knocks ready to record their every single move.
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There is probably no team more capable of blowing up any moment than these Raiders. With that being said, they could also be pretty darn good if things go right.
Quarterback Derek Carr was an MVP front-runner just two-and-a-half years ago and quietly threw nine touchdowns and no picks over a five-week stretch last season, no matter what you think of him as a person – AB is still easily a top five wide receiver, the O-line should definitely be much improved with the additions of Incognito and Trent Brown, they have added some quality veterans on defense and just made three first round selections, which they expect to be cornerstones of the franchise going forward.
Offensively I think they have upgraded at every area outside of quarterback and I still think Carr can be an above-average quarterback. Defensively, they might not field the most dangerous pass rush, but there is no way they finish with just 13 sacks once again, I think Gareon Conley could be a breakout player at corner to go with whoever emerges from that group, newly signed Lamarcus Joyner is one of my favorite safeties in the league and I think Jonathan Abram will give them some attitude coming out Mississippi State.
At this point it is looking more like chaos than actually putting together a program that is built for winning a lot games, but the roster is on a different level this year and some of those young guys they relied on last season now have a season in the books. While every team looks like a contender when the cameras of HBO are following them, we could learn a lot about the Raiders early on – especially if things go South.
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