Oakland Raiders no longer same old losing franchise

Dec 28, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Oakland Raiders center Stefen Wisniewski (61) blocks for quarterback Derek Carr (4) in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos defeated the Raiders 47-14. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Now is a good time to be an Oakland Raiders fan because this is the year things start turning around. Now I am not calling them a contender or predicting anything before I’ve seen a preseason game. But the good news is the Raiders acquired some talent, making the team much better than last year.

This is by far the most talent the team has had since Reggie McKenzie became the Raiders GM In 2014, the offense was built around quarterback Derek Carr, guard Gabe Jackson and left tackle Donald Penn. The defense was built around outside linebackers Khalil Mack and Sio Moore along with safety Charles Woodson. A roster with a mix of promising prospects and proven veterans an improvement for the franchise, but not enough to ensure that the Raiders would be competitive on a weekly basis.

The talent on the 2014 roster only amounted to a 3-13 season but looked promising down the stretch, knocking three teams out of the playoffs. You could see Carr, Mack and the other youngsters coming along as they are due to improve more this year. And with a few upgrades the Raiders made, the team is really different, much better than 2015.

Turn the page for a look at just how much the team has improved.

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