The Oakland Raiders have become a team that many players and coaches would love to join. A few years back, the Silver And Black was seen as a team where old players went to go retire. This perspective has changed thanks to General Manager Reggie McKenzie and Head Coach Jack Del Rio.
The Silver and Black had a very successful season in 2016 and also made the playoffs. The Raiders had not made the playoffs since 2002. A lot of the new players on the squad are credited for the huge turn around as well, such as quarterback Derek Carr, defensive player Khalil Mack, rookie receiver Amari Cooper and many more.
Many cannot say that the 2016 was a fluke as many of the players that thrived for the Raiders this last season had success the season prior. In 2015, the Raiders were not nearly as good as they were last year, but Oakland was already showing signs that the uphill climb was getting done. Now, the Raiders are back to their old ways of winning.
The latest news with running back Adrian Peterson
One of the best running backs in the league, Adrian Peterson, is going to be a free agent in about a week, and he has expressed that playing for the Raiders would not be a bad idea. Peterson expressed his feelings with ESPN as playing for the Silver and Black as an “intriguing option”.
News has it that Peterson will cost a lot of money, around $18 million, and the Raiders are one of the few teams that could afford him.
Now, the Raiders have options with the running game, as they have rookie DeAndre Washington, who had a superb first year in 2016, and also have Jalen Richard, who ran in a very successful committee with Washington and Latavius Murray last season.
The other option the Raiders have is keeping their main running back Latavius Murray.
However, Murray might opt to go play with another team, simply chasing the big bucks. Now, will the Raiders pay to keep Murray or pay even more to get one of the best in the league, Adrian Peterson? Many are eager to see what will happen to both running backs.
Jack Del Rio's reaction
In the end, the Oakland Raiders have become a team that many want to join.
Coach Jack Del Rio is happy to hear that Peterson finds the Raiders as an “intriguing option”. Del Rio has also mentioned in reports that he is happy to hear that players and coaches around the league see Oakland as “a good place to be”. He feels good that things have turned around for the Raiders compared to three years ago when many did not want to come to Oakland to work or play.
