AFC West Notes: Raiders, Broncos, Marshall

The Raiders will aim to bring in another running back this offseason, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Latavius Murray carried the load for Oakland last season, and while the the club’s rushing offense wasn’t great (24th in DVOA), Murray was one of only seven backs league-wide to run for more than 1,000 yards, and he did so behind an offensive line that ranked just 19th in adjusted line yards.Latavius Murray (Vertical)

Still, Murray is entering the final year of his rookie deal, so adding another back could help not only during the 2016 season, but in the years after if Murray departs through free agency. The running back market is awash with options, with Matt Forte, Doug Martin, Lamar Miller, and Chris Ivory among those heading for free agency. Oakland has also been mentioned as a possible destination for the Eagles’ DeMarco Murray in the even that he is released or traded.

Let’s take a look at a few other notes from the AFC West, including more on both the Raiders and the Super Bowl champion Broncos:

  • “I would definitely love my bank account to grow in these next few months — I would love that,” said Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall, discussing his upcoming restricted free agency on the NFL Network today. Marshall will certainly get a raise from the $585K he made last season, but he probably won’t hit the jackpot just yet, as Denver will likely offer him either a first- or second-round tender, limiting his appeal to other clubs.
  • Brock Osweiler‘s future with the Broncos obviously hinges on whether Peyton Manning retires (and if the club decides to retain him if he doesn’t), but after posting a 5-2 record during his seven starts last year, Osweiler is excited to at least have the chance to take over-full time. “Every single guy on this team embraced me, and that is something I think they all know how thankful I am for that,” Osweiler told Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. “But this is the best team in the world and we have a very special group in our locker room.”
  • Speaking to the media in Oakland yesterday, Raiders owner Mark Davis said MLB’s Athletics (who share O.co Coliseum with the Raiders) have impeded progress on a new Raiders stadium by signing a 10-year lease with O.co. “They’ve tied our hands behind our back,” Davis said, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. The Athletics responded toady, as owner Lew Wolff stated that his club is committed to Oakland, and that nothing the A’s have done affects the Raiders interests (link via Pro Football Talk).
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