Getty Oakland Raiders WR Antonio Brown.
The Oakland Raiders haven’t been getting a lot of love in the media this year. ESPN thinks their offensive arsenal got worse and Las Vegas doesn’t give the team very good odds to make it to the Super Bowl. While this is likely frustrating for fans of the team, the Raiders didn’t do much last year to inspire much confidence. The team ended the year with a 4-12 record and didn’t send any players to the pro-bowl, not counting alternates. However, the team has done a lot to improve the roster and the outlook for 2019 looks much better.
During the offseason, it is common for outlets to rank the top players in the NFL. Doug Farrar at Touchdown Wire recently ranked who he believes are the top-100 players in the NFL. The Raiders only had two players make the list. That will likely change this time next year, but it’s understandable considering how 2018 went. Watch out for players like Maurice Hurst and Gareon Conley this season. They could be making this list sooner, rather than later. Former Raider Khalil Mack was very high on the list at number four, but no Raiders made the top 10. Below are the Raiders that did make the list.
88. Rodney Hudson
“I compliment him to the day’s end. He’s special.”
Coach Gruden can’t say enough good things about Rodney Hudson after the center earned his master’s degree.
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Rodney Hudson was the best player for the Raiders in 2018 and has been a consistent presence on the offensive line for the Raiders since they signed him in 2015. He’s commonly thought to be the second-best center in the NFL behind the Eagles’ Jason Kelce. Hudson is also a pillar of stability as he’s only missed three games since joining the Raiders and hasn’t missed a single game in three seasons.
“Throughout his time with the Chiefs and Raiders, Hudson has put up more than enough tape to establish himself as the premier power center in the league,” said Farrar. “With his freakish upper-body strength, Hudson is expert at getting his hands on any defender, and he can throw guys around who outweigh him by 30 to 40 pounds.”
Entering a contract year, look for Hudson to continue to dominate. Hudson just turned 30, so he should have at least several good years left. Signing him to another long term contract should be a huge priority for the Raiders. Don’t be surprised if he moves even further up this list this time next year.
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12. Antonio Brown
Antonio Brown is an absolute stud at the wide receiver position. Though he has yet to play a down in silver and black yet, he’s expected to help revitalize an offense that was completely lackluster a year ago. This may come as a surprise to some, but Brown is actually the third-ranked receiver on the list behind Julio Jones and DeAndre Hopkins. While both of those players are amazing, there is definitely an argument to be made that Brown is better than both of them.
“Brown can make it work in any system. There is no better route runner in the NFL, and Brown’s ability to break off route concepts to adjust for the quarterback has been leaving cornerbacks in his dust for years,” said Farrar.
Brown should help QB Derek Carr turn things around after a couple of down years. He brings an energy and swagger that will help the Raiders on multiple levels. Look for Carr to have a banner year while throwing to Brown.
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