Oakland Raiders shown little respect in latest ESPN power rankings

The Oakland Raiders have been one of the more active teams in free agency this year, but that has not moved them up the ESPN power rankings.

The Oakland Raiders have done a nice job revamping their roster already in 2019, bringing in elite talent like Antonio Brown, and solidifying their offensive tackle spot with Trent Brown. In addition, they have brought in guys who are expected to contribute in a big way next season like Tyrell Williams, Lamarcus Joyner, Vontaze Burfict, and Brandon Marshall to name a few.

With all this movement, you would think that they would at least be considered a top-20 team in the NFL, but in their latest NFL power rankings, ESPN had them at No. 25 overall. The regular contenders are at the top of the list, but this should certainly change once the 2019 NFL Draft is finished.

ESPN ranked the New Orleans Saints as the team top beat in this rankings, followed by the Los Angeles Rams. The New England Patriots (3), Kansas City Chiefs (4), and Los Angeles Chargers round out the top-5.

The Raiders coming in at No. 25 is a bit of a shock, as they are ranked below teams like the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, and Detroit Lions. At No. 25, Oakland did come in above the New York Jets, Washington Redskins, and Cincinnati Bengals to name a few.

Sitting at No. 32 was the Arizona Cardinals, a team that won only three games last season, and currently have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The New York Giants (30), and Miami Dolphins (31), rounded out the final three teams on the list.

Of course, none of these power rankings mean anything right now, but it is always interesting to see how the national media views the team. They were ranked towards the bottom of the initial power rankings, and moved up a bit, but they are still below some teams they should be better than next season.