The Oakland Raiders roster seems to be filled to the brim with talent. The great thing is that there is a lot of young talent. With so many young players in starting roles, their impact has to be big in order for the team to find success. If the Raiders want to build upon their magical 2016 season, a few players need to step up next season to make it happen.
Three Raiders That Need To Step Up Next Season
Karl Joseph
Karl Joseph was selected in the first round on the 2016 NFL Draft. Most of Raider Nation loved the pick and couldn’t wait to see the impact the rookie would have. Unfortunately, Joseph suffered an ACL tear in the middle of his senior season at West Virginia. Recovery time took a while for Karl, and he was very limited throughout the offseason and pre-season activities. Joseph was healthy enough to play in 12 games, starting nine of them. During the season, Joseph showed a little bit of the big hit ability he was known for in college. A big strength for Karl was his coverage. Joseph did a good job of shadowing tight ends all season. This is an area the Raiders defense usually struggled with.
Also, Karl Joseph did a great job of overcoming a devastating injury and having a productive season. One thing the Raiders need to watch out for is a nagging toe injury Karl had during the season. Whether Joseph stays at strong safety or is allowed to roam as a free safety, its vital that he continues to develop. Oakland’s secondary needs all the help it can get, and Karl Joseph can step up and make a difference.
Clive Walford
Clive Walford was selected in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Coming into the league, praises were high for the young tight end. At Miami (FL), Walford had a very good career. Many draft experts saw Walford as a steal. In Clive Walford’s sophomore season with the silver and black, he saw a bit of an increased role. Walford caught the ball 33 times for 359 yards and three touchdowns in 2016. Former Raiders offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave doesn’t use the tight end much as a weapon in his offense. Tight ends are mostly used to block. With Musgrave now gone, there’s a chance that quarterback Derek Carr and new OC Todd Downing might expand the playbook. Today’s NFL uses the tight end as a pass catching weapon. Clive Walford might start to meet expectations next season if he sees his role grow.
Connor Cook
With so many other young players on the roster expected to start next season, this pick might seem a little strange. Well, Connor Cook was selected in the 4th round of the 2016 NFL Draft to be the backup of Derek Carr. During the pre-season, Cook showed flashes playing with and against guys that weren’t going to make the 53 man roster. Throughout the majority of the regular season, Cook was the third string quarterback behind Carr, and Matt McGloin. Due to Carr getting injured, and McGloin getting banged up, Cook finally got his time to shine. So, Connor Cook played week 17 against the Broncos in Denver. Cook threw one touchdown and one pick in his first NFL game. Finally, the Raiders made the playoffs after years, and the quarterback leading them in that game was the rookie Connor Cook. As expected, the result wasn’t pretty.
Cook threw three interceptions to only one touchdown. As a result, the Raiders lost big, and the season was over. Most people didn’t expect too much from the rookie. He was thrown into a very hard situation. With McGloin set to be a free agent, Cook is expected to take over as second string. Oakland has seen their starter go down once, if he goes down again, the Raiders will need a reliable option behind him. In conclusion, Cook needs to prove he’s able to step up and run an NFL offense if Carr gets hurt.
