2016 NFL offseason: Oakland Raiders needs

With tons of cap space and a solid recent track record in the draft, the Oakland Raiders are primed for the perfect offseason to catapult them into the 2016 playoffs.

Where were you in 2002?

That’s the same year that U.S. President George W. Bush created the Department of Homeland Security in the wake of the September 11 attacks, the year that Michael Jackson dangled his infant son off a balcony in Berlin, and the same year Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me” and Nelly’s “Hot In Herre” topped the Billboard charts as No. 1 hit singles.

It’s also the last time the Oakland Raiders made the playoffs or finished with a winning record. Rich Gannon played quarterback, Bill Callahan was the head coach, and the wide receiving corps consisted of Tim Brown, Jerry Rice, and Jerry Porter. The Raiders won their division with an 11-5 record and made it all the way to the promised land before losing to former coach Jon Gruden and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Since then, Raider Nation has suffered through a roulette of seven different head coaches, 18 different starting quarterbacks, and 13 different seasons that have ended without a postseason invitation, a number that is tied with the Cleveland Browns for the second-longest active drought in the NFL. The only longer streak of futility belongs to the Buffalo Bills at 16 straight seasons.

Fortunately for disciples of Al Davis, there appears to be a light at the end of the Black Hole. Last season’s Raiders finished 7-9, but they also sent six players to the Pro Bowl — one of which made history as the first first-team All-Pro to be elected at two different positions in the same year.

Outside linebacker/defensive end/game-wrecking juggernaut Khalil Mack remains the crown jewel of general manager Reggie McKenzie’s draft treasure haul the last four seasons, but other notable gems include quarterback Derek Carr, wide receiver Amari Cooper, and running back Latavius Murray. All four of these players are key starters at their positions, and together they form an impressive young nucleus that should make Oakland a contender in the AFC West for years to come.

And while the Raiders are indeed finally knocking at the door of relevance again, they still need to make a few more organizational moves if they hope to keep stride with division competitors like the surging Kansas City Chiefs and the newly-minted world champion Denver Broncos. It all starts with releasing some dead weight, courting a few fresh faces, and putting together another dynamite draft.

Next: Players that might leave