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Raiders: Ten players that are crucial to the 2018 season

By Thomas Wheaton

CARSON, CA - DECEMBER 31: Derek Carr No. 4 of the Oakland Raiders directs his team before throwing the ball during the second half of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center on December 31, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - DECEMBER 31: Derek Carr No. 4 of the Oakland Raiders directs his team before throwing the ball during the second half of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center on December 31, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /
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CARSON, CA – DECEMBER 31: Marshawn Lynch #24 of the Oakland Raiders breaks free from Trevor Williams #24 of the Los Angeles Chargers during the second quarter of the game at StubHub Center on December 31, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA – DECEMBER 31: Marshawn Lynch #24 of the Oakland Raiders breaks free from Trevor Williams #24 of the Los Angeles Chargers during the second quarter of the game at StubHub Center on December 31, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

5. Marshawn Lynch

Many people speculated towards the end of last season and into the offseason that Lynch would not be on the roster in 2018. Many said he lost a step and wasn’t the Beast Mode that took over the league for several years in Seattle. I argue otherwise. I think Lynch was a productive member on a dysfunctional offensive unit, a testament to his talent and mentality.

Lynch isn’t a speed back, he is a power back. That is well documented. Lynch, even after stepping away from the game for a while, nearly reached 900 yards last season. That’s despite a poor start to the season and missing a game due to suspension (that’s a whole different issue). Lynch is still a productive running back that can still be a focal point of an offense, if used correctly.

The Raiders have a behemoth of an offensive line, and with a plethora of blocking tight ends and perhaps a blocking full back, Beast Mode can return to his glory days in 2018. Look for Lynch to put up similar, if not better, numbers as he did in 2017. Gruden saw a place for him in his offense, and we should trust him to get the most out of Lynch.

4. Gareon Conley

As I mentioned earlier, cornerback has been a black hole for the Raiders in recent seasons (no pun intended). It has been bad, real bad. Last year the Raiders took Conley in the first round of the draft to help shore up the secondary. Oddly, Conley spent essentially the entire season on the sideline due to what was speculated to be a shin issue.

Healthy once more, Raiders fans are excited to see what Conley can do off the field. There is a lot of hype surrounding the Ohio State product, and according to his teammates, he can live up to it. Conley and Melvin could combine to make a very nice one-two punch at corner this season, giving the Raiders a much improved secondary.

If Conley lives up to the first-round hype he got last season, he will be huge for Oakland’s defense. Shut-down cornerbacks are a must-have if a team wants to compete in the NFL. Hopefully for the Raiders, Conley becomes a true number one corner. With the injury issues behind him (fingers crossed), Conley will be a critical member of the Raiders for years to come.

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