Raiders Still Have Plenty of Work to Do

"Speaking of injuries on the defensive side of the ball, Christian Wilkins played just five games after signing a massive deal last offseason due to a foot injury that still appears to be an issue, and while Leki Fotu was brought in as insurance at defensive tackle, he has not performed well when he's seen the field since being drafted in 2020," White said.

"If opposing offensive lines are able to throw everything at stopping Crosby, it's hard to see this team's group of secondary players carrying the day and elevating this unit back to league average. Until Wilkins looks like he on track to play in Week 1, it's hard to trust this defense to deliver."

Although the Raiders' offense has improved, it may not be enough to overcome a defense with many unknowns and several weak spots on it.

"A great offense can overcome a struggling defense to play .500 ball or even make the playoffs, but even with the improvement in talent, it's hard to see this passing game being able to keep up in shootouts or rally back from behind. Jakobi Meyers is on the lower end of No. 1 receivers, and there is no reason to expect a breakout from the other veteran receivers on the roster," White said.

"If the team nailed its draft picks of Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton, then you could see those pass-catchers combine with Meyers and Brock Bowers to deliver an above-average group for Geno Smith, but that's a wildly optimistic outcome for second- and fourth-round picks."

While the overall outlook for the Raiders may not be favorable for some, they only need to add a few more wins this upcoming season to demonstrate progress from last year. The changes Las Vegas has made warrant a little more confidence than White has in the Silver and Black.

It is hard not to believe the Raiders have made enough changes to their coaching staff and roster to improve from last season's 4-13 debacle of a campaign, which included a 10-game losing streak.

Still, the Raiders play in one of the most challenging divisions in the league and require additional roster upgrades. The Raiders will be a relative unknown until the first few weeks of the upcoming season are completed.

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