Bruce Irvin set for breakout, Gareon Conley on hot seat, plus Raiders predictions

Bee staff writer Noel Harris’ predictions for the Raiders’ season:

Best-case scenario

Oakland’s trade of Khalil Mack had people all over the league talking — and much of that talk wasn’t favorable toward the Raiders.

It even shocked some former teammates of the three-time Pro Bowl defensive end whom the Chicago Bears quickly made the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player.

“It sucks we lost our friend, we lost our brother, but you know we have games to win,” quarterback Derek Carr said Monday in Alameda. “We’ve got a job to do.”

However, well before the trade, Raider Nation was buzzing about the return of Jon Gruden as head coach. If Chucky’s arrival can help boost Carr back to his 2016 form, combined with help on an offense that has big-play threats in receivers Amari Cooper and Jordy Nelson to go with the power running of Oakland native Marshawn Lynch, that could help the Raiders contend for their second playoff spot in three seasons after a 14-year postseason absence.

Worst-case scenario

Following Monday’s opener at home against the Los Angeles Rams, the Raiders don’t play another playoff team from last season until Week 13, their first of two games against AFC West rival Kansas City.

If Oakland can’t build a decent record heading into that Dec. 2 home game against the Chiefs, it could have fans souring on the team in a hurry.

What would be worse is if the defense is a key factor in losses, especially now that Mack is gone.

Should the Raiders give up big points and yardage to teams like the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns or Denver Broncos — all of whom finished well below .500 in 2017 — the team could be looking at a high first-round pick in the 2019 draft.

Breakout player

Bruce Irvin. He becomes the focal point of a defensive line that includes rookies Arden Key, P.J. Hall and Maurice Hurst. Irvin was an outside linebacker over his previous six seasons, but he spent some time on the line in 2014 with the Seattle Seahawks. Last season he had 38 tackles and four forced fumbles to go with eight sacks, which tied his career high, and he has told the media he wants to get to double digits in that category this year.

Hot seat

Gareon Conley. The cornerback was the Raiders’ first-round pick (24th overall) last year and appeared in just two games as a rookie. He missed training camp, all of preseason and the regular-season opener last year due to a shin injury, then following the Raiders’ Week 3 loss to the Washington Redskins, he was shut down and ended up missing the rest of the season.

He’s already dealt with a new injury this year, suffering a hip strain during training camp in late July, but missed just one preseason game because of it. Listed as a starting corner, he’ll be asked to help a unit that was 26th last season in passing yards allowed (241.1 per game). Staying healthy is the first step.

This story was originally published September 6, 2018 at 8:57 PM.