NFL analyst Cris Collinsworth knows new Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio personally and if what he knows of the former NFL linebacker is any indication, Del Rio is going to bring a significant change to the mental makeup of a franchise that has become, in recent seasons, a perennial punch line for the rest of the league.
"I think that Jack, if you know him at all, he brings an edge, he brings a toughness. They've got a good defense and he's going to add to that," Collinsworth told HNGN while walking the red carpet at the 2015 Sports Business Awards in Manhattan on Wednesday evening.
While the Raiders finished last season ranked just 21st in the league in total defense, surrendering an average of 357.5 yards and 28.3 points per game, recent draft pick hits like Khalil Mack and Sio Moore, along with high-upside prospects like Mario Edwards Jr. and Justin Ellis and free agent pick-ups like Dan Williams, Justin Tuck and Curtis Lofton, look to have Oakland trending in the right direction up front.
The secondary remains a major question mark thanks to former first-rounder DJ Hayden's injuries and failure to live up to his draft status and despite Charles Woodson's age-defying act, but a strong front-seven can often help to hide deficencies on the back-end.
Despite the defensive strides the Raiders have made in recent seasons and despite Del Rio's likely impact, it is Collinsworth's belief that the success or failure of the NFL's Oakland franchise moving forward will be determined by the achievements of an offense that hasn't been up to snuff since Rich Gannon led the Black and Silver to a Super Bowl berth in 2002.
With last year's second-round pick quarterback Derek Carr showing signs of hope - a player Collinsworth believes is still a "maybe" as a potential franchise signal-caller - and Del Rio and Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie bringing in as-electrifying-as-he-is-polished wide receiver Amari Cooper along with tight end Clive Walford via the draft and wideout Michael Crabtree and center Rodney Hudson during the NFL free agency period, things seem to be headed in the right direction offensively for Oakland as well.
Still, as Collinsworth notes, being good enough offensively won't be good enough for Del Rio and Oakland - Collinsworth reiterated his belief that there are only "seven or eight" truly elite quarterbacks in the league and without one, your ceiling as an NFL organization remains limited - especially in an AFC West division littered with talented signal-callers.
"Now, it's always going to come down to, can you outscore Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning and that's what they haven't been able to do," he said. "Can he help on the offensive side? We'll see."
There's no doubting Del Rio in his first offseason and McKenzie in his third have helped the Raiders make significant strides, but roster holes can't all be plugged in one go-round and putting it all together on the field remains the biggest hurdle yet to overcome for Oakland.
Collinsworth, like many NFL analysts, is in wait-and-see mode on the Raiders until something truly great breaks in Oakland's favor, whether it be the development of Carr from potential-laden youngster to full-fledged face of the franchise or Mack and the defense taking the next step from up-and-coming unit to ferocious, fear-inducing intimidator.
