The Oakland Raiders and the Raider Nation are overtly optimistic as the 2010 NFL season closes in. The addition of Jason Campbell as the strong-armed quarterback, the solid defensive standouts drafted in the NFL Draft, and the re-signing of Richard Seymour as the steady veteran on defense has Oakland and their fans in a frenzy of expectation as the Raiders prepare to report to training camp July 25, 2010.
Jason Campbell Will Have an Offense to Build On
Although the Oakland Raider offense sputtered in the 2009 NFL season, there were glimpses of greatness during the season. Darren McFadden showed his potential in several games and the Raiders young receivers stepped up with the occasional spectacular catch.
Jason Campbell will have plenty of targets to throw to and stretch the field with in his first season with the Oakland Raiders. Chaz Shillens and Louis Murphy will make great bookends for Campbell. Both wide receivers showed the potential to run great break-off routes and both receivers' hands improved as the season progressed.
Campbell Worked Well with Heyward-Bey in April OTA's
The disappointment in the receiving department was Darius Heyward-Bey. The Oakland Raiders front office was laughed out of the NFL Draft ceremony when they announced Heyward-Bey as their pick and Heyward-Bey made his detractors right after the first season. He was awful.
Jason Campbell worked with Heyward-Bey during the Oakland Raiders optional OTA's in April and Heyward-Bey's ball handling improved dramatically. The dynamic between certain quarterbacks and wide receivers can never be explained but the combination of Heyward-Bey and Campbell clicked well in practices. It remains to be seen if this synergy will carry over to the field.
Darren McFadden Could See More Activity as a Receiving Back in the Flat
Darren McFadden has good hands and is happy to catch the ball and make ground after the catch. Michael Bush could be a great change of pace back to complement McFadden and with Justin Fargas gone, both will see more time in the backfield with Jason Campbell.
The key will be which back assimilates well with Campbell out of the Oakland Raiders backfield. The running back that can hang in and block in key situations and the running back willing to be a safety valve will get the most action over the course of the year.
Defense Will Have a Good Mix of Young & Old
The key signing of the summer thus far is Richard Seymour. Although it is a one year deal, Seymour will have to play at a high level if he wants to sign a large three-year contract next year. Seymour can be a stud but more than that, Seymour can help the young NFL Draft picks.
Rolando McLain out of Alabama is the player everyone on the Oakland Raiders is excited to see play. McLain could be the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and could develop into a star as a Raider linebacker in the middle of the field. McLain will have to pick up some slack of the player he replaces Kirk Morrison.
More than just the tackles and the hard hits, Morrison was veteran leader on the Oakland Raiders and respected by his teammates and the Raider fans. The Raiders should be covered in the secondary with veteran Nnamdi Asomugha on one corner and a combination of double teams on the other side.
Oakland Can Handle Their AFC West Foes in Division Play
Oakland could easily have a winning record in the AFC West as two of the their three rivals are in the midst of a rebuilding era. Kansas City has added Charlie Weis, who will be implementing his own version of the offense as Todd Haley hands over the reins of the offense. Oakland should be able to sweep their series with Kansas City.
The Denver Broncosenter the 2010 NFL season after Josh McDaniels ripped apart their offense. Sending their premier quarterback to Chicago after mishandling him and then sending a top NFL wide receiver in Brandon Marshall across the country with little compensation. Oakland will sweep their series with Denver.
The San Diego Chargers have been a tough nut to crack for the Oakland Raiders but in the 2010 NFL season, they will not play them until the fifth week. The game will be played in Oakland and it is their best chance to catch a win against the best team in the AFC West. Oakland can finish the regular season with a 5-1 record in the AFC West but they also have a tough out of conference schedule.
Todd Jacobs - Todd Jacobs is a freelance writer with publishing credits including USA Today, Orange County Register and Speed TV.
Join the Conversation