The NFL will eventually have a team, or teams, in Los Angeles. As the second largest media market in the country, it's just too much of a money maker to leave unoccupied. But leveraging that visibility means taking a team away from their current city, something no fanbase wants.
The three teams mentioned most when a move to L.A. comes up are the St. Louis Rams, San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders. For the Raiders, a move to L.A. seems like a real possibility.
"Yes, all options are on the table," ESPN Raiders reporter Bill Williamson wrote to a fan who asked about a Los Angeles move in the weekly mailbag. "Raiders owner Mark Davis has been very open about wanting to stay in Oakland. But he is also open to listen to other cities. The Raiders, of course, have a proposed stadium with the Chargers in Carson, California, that they plan to move forward with in 2016 if an Oakland stadium isn't secured this year. A lot of things will have to happen with any stadium, whether it's in Oakland or L.A. But, all options are currently open."
While the Raiders are projected to finish last in the AFC West again this year, the team is starting to amass some nice building blocks as a foundation. Second-year quarterback Derek Carr looks like he can develop into a franchise guy. Linebacker Khalil Mack is a stud, and cornerback D.J. Hayden is a keeper. The No. 4 pick in the draft - whether it's Alabama's Amari Cooper or USC's Leonard Williams - looks to be a can't miss prospect. It would be really unfair to Raiders fans to have their team ripped away from them just as they were starting to turn around this decade-plus of turmoil.
None of this will impact the 2015 season, but after that it's anyone's guess.
