Oakland Raiders: 5 players who must step up in 2018
We all bore witness to the horrid 2017 season for the Oakland Raiders. 2018 is the season for redemption, but which players must step up the most?
The 2018 NFL season is going to be an interesting one for the Oakland Raiders, who have the talent to be a contender in the AFC West. The organization brought in a bunch of new faces, from the head coach to the punter, and the team really seems to be meshing well through organized team activities.
It’s already been half a year since the end of the dreadful 2017 season for the Oakland Raiders. It feels like it was a long time ago already with head coach Jon Gruden steering the franchise in a much needed new direction. The players sound revitalized and buying into the coaches.
Tight end Jared Cook‘s take on embracing Gruden, via Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal pretty much says it all.
Raiders TE Jared Cook on Jon Gruden: “He definitely has guys buying in. I mean, I bought in for sure because he knows what he’s talking about, and you can tell a difference in a coach that knows what he’s talking about and a coach that does not. He knows what he’s talking about.”
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) May 29, 2018
The Raiders should be expected to dramatically improve next season now that they have competent coaching. Many players who were apart of the lackluster 2017 season will look to improve upon themselves. But there are five players who must step up the most out of everyone.
Let’s take a look at who those five players are.