Oakland Raiders: 2014 Positional Grades, Jack Del Rio Thoughts

Jan 16, 2015; Alameda, CA, USA; Jack Del Rio (right) poses with Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie at press conference to announce his hiring as Raiders head coach at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It has been far too long since I wrote a column, but I  have been waiting for this day in order to do a classic long form column. In this column I am going to cover some yearly grades, some Jack Del Rio thoughts, and laying out my annual plan for the following offseason. This is an exciting time of the year for all of Raider Nation and this time around, we actually know some facts about the people we will be counting on for a successful offseason.

Raiders fans have been waiting for a long time to see a good product on the field and some wins in their back pocket, but this may finally be the time with the Broncos on the verge of some salary cap upheaval, and the general mediocrity of the Chiefs and Chargers.

So without further wait here are my 2014 Positional Grades and some early thoughts on Jack Del Rio.

2014 Positional Grades

Quarterbacks: A

For the first time in the illustrious history of the Oakland Raiders, the team rolled with a rookie quarterback from day one and it was the right decision. Regardless of how the offense sputtered at times, Derek Carr showed he could make every throw, he handled pressure well, and showed he can work hard enough to redo his footwork. Carr an exceptional statistical rookie season and with a talented play caller, he can turn into a very talented quarterback.

There were times when Carr would throw off of his back foot when dealing with pressure, but inconsistency was a staple of the past regime. The funny stat about this is, the three games the Raiders’ won are the three games the Raiders ran a play with a tight end crossing route.

Next: Positional Grades