Will the Raiders be legit this year.

this is an easy one.

NO.

Has their offensive line gotten much better?

Do we know if JaMarcus Russell is anything more than a tower with a cannon arm? Is he a true NFL QB? I don't know that. Do you?

Who's replaced "The Big Fella" in the middle? Warren Sapp is out.

They overpaid for DeAngelo "toast" Hall and Javon "IR" Walker

No, they will not be legit.

The more interesting question is if the Dolphins can be legit this year.

Think about it.

They will have Jason Taylor and Joey Porter on the edge. Porter disappeared last year because they made him play out of position. Now, Parcells and his new coaching staff are installing a true 3-4 defense, which will allow Porter to get back to doing what he does best. Attack the backfield.

Then they got the steal of the draft with Phillip Merling (who can play end in a 4-3 or 3-4) to be on 1 end, and picked up a NT in Jason Ferguson.

Their inside linebackers will be Channing Crowder and Akin Ayodele, not a terrible pair.

That defense looks improved.

On offense, Jake Long will solidify one side of their line, a la Joe Thomas in Cleveland.

They don't have any established receivers, but Ronnie Brown running behind Long (who's a MAULER at the POA) has some promise.

Plus, they were quietly able to add Anthony Fasano (who was a talented TE out of college) to the mix in the passing game.

McCown has proven over his career that he can occasionally win games, even on crappy teams (Raiders, Cardinals). This team will not be the pushover they were last year, and they could easily win 6-8 games.

No hate for the Raiders, but no they will not. Their propensity for draft busts will come back and bite them in the arse once again. Just like the Robert Gallery pick, JaMarcus Russell was a "popular" choice. The meat and potatoes pick would have been Joe Thomas.  Give Houston all the credit in the world for taking Mario Williams instead of Reggie Bush in 2006, the GM lost his job, but not his vision. Al Davis is blind oh by the way..... I see them finishing behind the Cheifs. Yes the Chiefs, they will win at least 6-7 games, I am calling it now, based on schedule, team turnover, and the draft

Chargers 11-5

Broncos 9-7

Chiefs 6-10

Raiders 3-13

The offense reminds me of the old days where they throw deep.  They have a quality secondary..   As far as replacing Sapp they could that with a coke machine and boom box.