3 players who will have the biggest impact on the Raiders' season
Each week, theScore will go division by division, highlighting which three players' performance will most impact their team's season in 2017.
Marshawn Lynch
Expectations for Lynch's return to football, playing for his hometown Raiders before they skip town for Las Vegas, must be tempered. As exciting as the addition may be for fans of the team and for the league as a whole, we are talking about a 31-year-old running back who hasn't played a game since January 2016.
That said, this move could pay off in a big way for the Raiders both on and off the field. If he's coming back to the game fresh, Lynch will be a major upgrade over Latavius Murray as the lead back. Running behind the best offensive line he's had in his career, and one of the most dominant in the league today, he'll have countless opportunities to get to the second level and break off some of those patented big runs. His physical presence in short yardage and pass protection, even if he proves to have lost a step or two, can't be understated, either.
While the storyline of a homecoming would typically be nothing more than a footnote, Lynch's situation is just different. Avoiding the distraction of tension between the team and Bay Area fans is imperative as the Raiders set out to make good on their newfound Super Bowl aspirations before heading to Vegas. Beyond his clear opportunity to contribute on a playoff run, having an Oakland legend and bona fide NFL superstar be the one to complement a high-powered passing attack will certainly work in the Raiders' favor. It really is the perfect fit for a number of reasons.
Obi Melifonwu
Adding to the secondary was an absolute must for the Raiders this offseason. Unable to take full advantage of the explosive offense on the other side of the ball in 2016, the defense finished the year ranked 24th in passing yards allowed. And even that standing may not tell the whole story of just how much the unit struggled at times.
Cornerback was an obvious problem area to target, and the first-round selection of Gareon Conley provides both a long-term piece at that spot and a possible instant impact player alongside returning starters Sean Smith and David Amerson. Even more pressing, though, was the need for improvement covering opposing tight ends. That's where Melifonwu comes in.
The Connecticut product, a freak athlete selected in the second round of the draft, joins 2016 first-rounder Karl Joseph in giving Oakland a foundation of young talent at safety. For as long as veteran Reggie Nelson sticks around, Melifonwu will be primed for a key sub package role that deploys his abilities in certain matchups. Most notably, as Ted Nguyen of FanRag Sports notes from a snippet of practice footage, that could include acting as a hybrid linebacker to help lock down tight ends. Melifonwu making a quick transition in that role would go a long way toward solving a longstanding issue for the Oakland defense.
Mario Edwards Jr.
Also crucial for addressing a porous pass defense was finding more firepower in the pass-rush department. Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin already provide a stellar tandem on the edge, and the hope will be that 2016 third-round pick Shilique Calhoun can take on a lead rotational role behind them. But game planning for top talents on the outside is always easier when the quarterback has room to step up in the pocket.
Oakland's greatest chance for a significant pass-rush upgrade on the interior comes not with a free-agent or draft addition, but rather the healthy return of an intriguing young talent in Edwards. Building on the flashes he showed as a second-round rookie back in 2015 could very well move the Raiders' defensive front from good to great.
Look for the Raiders to have Edwards line up at a number of different spots this season, including as a base end on early downs and at the three-technique in more obvious passing situations. Should he manage to stay healthy, there's undoubtedly potential for a major breakout.