3 ways the Las Vegas Raiders can make the Super Bowl next season
By Alex Perl
The Oakland Raiders won only seven games last season, but as the team moves to Las Vegas, they are a few pieces away from being a legitimate playoff contender.
Super Bowl LIV is one no Raiders fan is thrilled about. On one side you have a Bay Area team in the San Francisco 49ers, and on the other side is dreaded divisional rivals the Kansas City Chiefs. After an up and down final season in Oakland, the Raiders finished 7-9, not exactly earth shattering, but a major improvement compared to last year’s win total of only four.
So the major question now is how can the Raiders make the Super Bowl next season? Although the idea seems rather farfetched, you do have to point to the 49ers previous season. After winning only four games as well, they ended up going 13-3 this season, so Raider Nation there is always a chance.
Free Agency
This is a no-brainer obviously, but free agency can be tricky. The Raiders struck gold in free agency acquisitions this past offseason, at least when it came to offensive linemen in Richie Incognito and Trent Brown. The rest, not so much, as new signings in safety/cornerback Lamarcus Joyner and wide receiver Tyrell Williams did not live up to their hefty price tags.
With an abundance of funds available, the Raiders can look to many big name players that could be available on the market come March when free agency opens. The Raiders can improve their defensive line by adding big names such as Chris Jones or Arik Armstead, or improve the linebacking core with Cory Littleton or even Shaq Barrett (he plays in a 3-4 but 19.5 sacks is 19.5 sacks!).
In addition they could even add a proven wide receiver threat in AJ Green of the Bengals. The options are endless, and a lot can change between now and March about who is on the market, but if the Raiders have any chance of reaching the Super Bowl next season, they have to hit it big here prior to the April Draft.