Reviewing which Oakland Raiders made the cut on Pro Football Focus’ annual list of the Top 101 players in the NFL.
Pro Football Focus recently released their list of the Top 101 players from the 2016 season, and several Oakland Raiders made the cut.
Let’s jump right into it.
Donald Penn
The first Raider to appear on the list is a player who keeps getting better with age, left tackle Donald Penn.
Penn had a career year in 2016, and at the age of 33, allowed just one sack all season. Unfortunately, that sack is the one where Penn slipped and Derek Carr got hurt, but we can’t fault Penn too much for that. Injuries happen.
For his performance, Penn landed at #86 on PFF’s Top 101 players of 2016.
"Donald Penn’s season deserved a better finish than it had. He allowed one sack all season, and it happened to be the play that broke the leg of QB Derek Carr and effectively ended Oakland’s challenge for hardware. To make matters worse, Penn was then injured and forced to miss the playoff game in Houston, where he could have tried to minimize the impact of Carr’s loss. Penn was a dominant run blocker all season, destroying people that got in his way and allowing just four sacks or hits on the QB.Best performance: Week 7 vs. Jaguars, 87.7 gradeKey stat: Penn allowed only one sack all season—the one that injured QB Derek Carr."
Penn will be entering the final year of his contract, and is due $5.8M. If he continues this level of play, he’ll be able to hold off any potential replacements.
Rodney Hudson
Like Penn, Hudson was a free agent acquisition that has bolstered the offensive line, anchoring a group that has been arguably the second best in the NFL.
Hudson comes in at 66 on PFF’s list.
"Oakland’s revamped offensive line has yet another member among the top 10, and he’s another player that was acquired in free agency rather than the draft. Rodney Hudson was one of the most solid centers in the league, even if he wasn’t as dominant in the run game as some of those ahead of him. He was the league’s best pass-blocker at the position, allowing only nine total QB pressures all season and no sacks or hits on the quarterback.Best performance:Week 12 vs. Panthers, 88.0 gradeKey stat:Hudson surrendered zero sacks or hits on the QB all season."
The key stat is incredible — no sacks allowed, and not even a QB hit allowed. His pass-blocking is special, as his command of the game. Him and Carr have established fantastic chemistry, save for one bad snap.
Hudson is still just 27 years old, and the team has him under contract through the 2019 season.
Derek Carr
The chosen one. The prodigal son. Putting together an outstanding campaign, Derek Carr had a strong case to be the league’s most valuable player in 2016.15 full games plus nearly three quarters of a 16th game proved that, and perhaps the Raiders without Carr proved that even more so.
Carr’s number may not have been the most gaudy, but he was effective and efficient. Not to mention his penchant for fourth quarter heroics and comeback victories.
PFF ranked Carr 50th on their list.
"Derek Carr took another step forward in the development of his career in 2016, and had a very real MVP case for much of the season. An injured finger derailed his campaign, but then disaster truly struck for the Raiders when he was sacked and injured against the Colts in Week 16, ending his season and any hopes the Raiders had of contending in the playoffs.Best performance: Week 1 vs. Saints, 87.9 gradeKey stat: Carr threw 25 touchdowns and only three interceptions when kept clean in the pocket, completing 67.1 percent of those pass attempts."
This is all subjective, of course, but this ranking feels low. You mean to tell me that there were 49 players better than Carr was in 2016?
Nah.
Kelechi Osemele
The third offensive lineman to appear on the list for the Raiders, Kelechi Osemele enjoyed quite a bit of success in his first year in Silver and Black.
K.O. became the highest paid guard in the league, and was even more dominant than he was during his time in Baltimore.
"Building through the draft is ideal, but you can put together an incredible unit if you’re willing to spend the right way through free agency. That’s what Oakland did on the offensive line, with Kelechi Osemele the marquee signing a year ago. He was a force in his first year at guard for Oakland, crushing people in the run game in one of the league’s most potent left-sided combinations next to LT Donald Penn. He didn’t allow a sack all season and surrendered a total of 11 QB pressures across more than 1,000 snaps of action.Best performance: Week 1 vs. Saints, 84.5 gradeKey stat:Osemele surrendered 11 total QB pressures in 15 games."
Like Hudson, Osemele is also just 27 years old, and the Raiders have him under contract through the 2020 season.
Khalil Mack
Topping the list for the Raiders is none other than the now reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Khalil Mack.
Once again, Mack was a complete force, wrecking any and every offensive lineman that crossed his path. The DPOY award could be his for years to come.
"Generating pressure is often not enough for some when it comes to judging pass-rushers — they need to see game-changing, impact plays. That’s the step forward Khalil Mack took in 2016. He won the game against Carolina for Oakland with an interception of QB Cam Newton on a simple quick screen, and then later by forcing a fumble on a strip sack to seal the result.No player generated more pressure on quarterbacks than Mack did this season, but he also made the signature plays that Von Miller has made a habit of in the past; those moments had been relatively lacking from Mack’s tape in previous seasons. Khalil Mack was the game’s most complete edge defender this season, and a true impact player for the Oakland defense.Best performance: Week 9 vs. Broncos, 97.2 gradeKey stat: Mack led the entire league with 96 total QB pressures."
Mack just finished his third season in the league, so he’ll have the 2017 season as well as the 2018 season under contract, due to a fifth-year option. But he’ll be up for an extension, and could end up being the highest paid defensive player in the NFL.
Next: Potential Cap Casualties
Snubs
Four players is a quality amount to be included on a list of the Top 101 players, but two players not included certainly had a case.
Amari Cooper finished 8th in the league in receiving, and the biggest area he struggled with in 2015 was drops, and he made great strides in this regard in 2016.
But at just 22 years old, Coop has plenty of time to make this list.
Gabe Jackson is also a player who was deserving to be included. Jackson also did not allow any sacks in 2016, and was effective in the run game as well.