Did the AFC West get better as a whole during 2020 offseason?
By Alex Perl
Las Vegas Raiders
Here we are Raider Nation, a new season with a new stadium, and a new backdrop in Las Vegas. The hype surrounding the Raiders this season is through the roof, as the team completely revamped their defense this offseason, finally addressing the linebacker group.
Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski who will immediately move into the starting lineup, and provide the Raiders with a potent one-two punch the team has not seen at linebacker in years. The Raiders also added Maliek Collins, a defensive tackle formerly of the Dallas Cowboys, and the underrated tackle will immediately vie for a starting spot on a young and talented defensive line.
He will be joined by his former defensive coordinator/defensive line coach at Dallas in Rod Marinelli, who accepted the position as defensive line coach in Las Vegas. The Raiders also had quite the draft, adding wide receiver and speed demon Henry Ruggs III, who will stretch the field vertically for quarterback Derek Carr, and brought back their entire offensive line.
The Raiders second pick in the first round was a shocker in cornerback Damon Arnette out of Ohio State. He didn’t have a first round grade, but the Raiders felt his toughness and ability to jam wide receivers at the line were worthy of the pick. The Raiders also added do-it-all running back hybrid Lynn Bowden Jr. as well as wide receiver Bryan Edwards, a Larry Fitzgerald-like talent who fell in the draft due to injury in the third, and some potential steals in the fourth round in Amik Robertson, and John Simpson.