Analyzing the Oakland Raiders’ defense

Taking an in-depth look at the Oakland Raiders’ defensive unit, and what kind of potential they have in 2016. How impactful can Khalil Mack be?

If you’re looking for the champions of the offseason, you might look no further than the Oakland Raiders, who made a ton of upgrades via free agency and had another solid draft class in 2016.

There’s no question the Raiders are one of the most improved teams in the league on paper, but just how good can this defense be? Well, if they stay healthy, they appear to have addressed pertinent weaknesses at every level, especially at the safety position, and it seems to me like they could be on the verge of something really special if everything goes according to plan.

As division rival Denver proved last season, team speed defensively can overcome or mask deficiencies on the offensive side of the ball, though the Raiders are improved on that side as well. It could still take some time for things to mesh together and chemistry to build, but the talent on this team is evident.

Let’s take a look at how good this team can be at each level of defense, specifically examining the projected starters and key reserves…

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