You can tell the NFL season is right around the corner, because expectations are starting to crash back through the atmosphere. After an offseason that had, at one point, people asking if maybe the Raiders were finally ready to make a run at the Chiefs in the AFC West. That, uh, doesn't seem as likely now – even if the Raiders end up being as improved as people think they are.
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At some point, people were going to start talking about the wide receivers. It's not a position group of strength on the Raiders' roster, and it's about the only thing standing in the way of Vegas having one of the most prolific offenses in football. In a new breakdown of every team's playmaking group, ESPN's Bill Barnwell goes into more detail than expected (thanks!) about what's still not there in Vegas.
ESPN is (rightfully) doubtful about how many great playmakers are on the Raiders
"I wrote in this piece a year ago that even tight ends who eventually turn out to be great often struggle in their rookie seasons. Brock Bowers was not the usual rookie tight end. Playing with Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew, he pieced together what might have been the best rookie receiving season of any tight end in league history. He finished with 112 catches for 1,194 yards and averaged 2.2 yards per route run, tormenting defenses with his ability to run away from coverage and create after the catch. The only thing missing was red zone dominance, as he had only six catches and one score all year inside the 20. Bowers is a wildly exciting player who gives the Raiders an elite playmaker for new quarterback Geno Smith ... Vegas will hope to add a second game changer on a rookie deal this offseason with first-round pick Ashton Jeanty, who should step in as the lead back ahead of Raheem Mostert. Jeanty enters the league with filthy game tape on record from his time at Boise State, but Raiders fans who can remember Darren McFadden's time with the franchise might want to temper their expectations appropriately."
Truthfully, I was most surprised by the kinda-bearish take on Jeanty. Everyone knows the Raiders don't have a ton of wide receiver talent – this is the first time I've seen anyone in NFL media try and pump the breaks on Jeanty's rookie season expectations (although 1,000 yards is still pretttttttty good).
Although do you really wide receivers when you have Brock Bowers?