The Oakland Raiders finished this season 7-9 and are clearly on the uptick as a franchise. Quarterback Derek Carr made significant strides in his second season, though his play dipped a bit over the second half of the year (79.2 passer rating over his final eight games). But with the improved talent around him at the skill positions - Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, Clive Walford, Latavius Murray - all entering their second seasons with the team, further progress can be expected.
But that doesn't mean the Raiders will be ready to make a Super Bowl run in 2016. General manager Reggie McKenzie still has several needs throughout the roster to address during the 2016 NFL Draft, most notably in the secondary.
"The Raiders need help at cornerback, where their play has been pedestrian, and safety, where Charles Woodson has retired after 18 NFL seasons," ESPN's Randy Covitz wrote. "Raiders corners David Amerson, a waiver pickup, and DJ Hayden, a disappointing first-round pick in 2013, and nickel back Neiko Thrope combined for six interceptions all season. Safety Nate Allen, signed as an unrestricted free agent, appears in only five games and finished the season on injured reserve with a knee injury."
Oakland's defense allowed the seventh-most passing yards in the NFL (4,140) this year while finishing 16th in both touchdown passes allowed (25) and opposing completion percentage (63.0). While the secondary should be their top priority, they also have needs elsewhere.
Starting tackles Donald Penn and J'Marcus Webb, in addition to backup Kahalif Barnes, will all be hitting the open market this offseason. Though the Raiders have some young players at the position that they are excited about, this unit has more questions than answers at the moment. If McKenzie and head coach Jack Del Rio want Carr to continue developing, they need to provide ample blocking up front.
Defensive end is another glaring weakness. Veteran Justin Tuck has just six sacks in 20 games as a Raider and will be a free agent this offseason. Aldon Smith's suspension will sideline him for much of next season and rookie Mario Edwards Jr. concluded the season with a neck injury. Oakland finished the year tied for 18th in sacks (33.). Improvement is needed in this area.
Raiders fans should take pride in the progress their team made in 2015. But the journey to being consistently competitive is far from over.
