2002 RECORD: 11-5 TEAM RANK (NFL): Defense (11th); Offense (1st) ADDITIONS: Free agents -- FB Cecil Martin (Eagles), FB Chris Hetherington (Rams), DT Dana Stubblefield (49ers), KR Ronney Jenkins (Chargers) Draft picks -- 1a. CB Nnamdi Asomugha (California); 1b. DE Tyler Brayton (Colorado); 2. TE Teyo Johnson (Stanford); 3a. OLB Sam Williams (Fresno State); 3b. RB Justin Fargas (Southern Cal); 4. DE Shurron Pierson (South Florida); 5. WR Doug Gabriel (Central Florida); 6. OT Dustin Rykert (Brigham Young); 7a. S Jeremy Shabazz (New Mexico State); 7b. WR Ryan Hoag (Gustavus Adolphus College) SUBTRACTIONS: DT Sam Adams (Bills), S Anthony Dorsett (released), DE Regan Upshaw (Redskins), CB Tory James (Bengals), FB Jon Ritchie (Eagles) Team news | Roster | More on Raiders draft

		Thu., May 15 With aging vets, how long can the Raiders offense continue to excel? As Rich Gannon goes, so goes the Raiders. Gannon doesn't appear to be slowing down, so that could give the Raiders a couple more years. Gannon is 37 and passed for 4,689 yards last year. He's been able to avoid injuries. Once his numbers turn from 300 yards a game to around 200, the Raiders' offensive run could be about to end. A 4,500-yard season could keep Jerry Rice and/or Tim Brown around in 2004, but if one goes, Jerry Porter is there to fill in the slack. Porter is explosive. Good cap management kept the offensive line around, but age is creeping in at tackle, especially with Lincoln Kennedy (32).

Talk about ending the season on a bitter note. The Raiders seemingly are inventing ways to leave nasty tastes in their mouths over the offseason.

First, a home loss to Baltimore in the AFC championship game two years ago in which quarterback Rich Gannon was sidelined after being sandwiched by Tony Siragusa. Then, the "no fumble" in New England. Now, a 27-point Super Bowl loss to Tampa Bay -- and former coach Jon Gruden -- in which Gannon was intercepted five times. But the Raiders keep fighting back, and the ultimate goal of a fourth Lombardi Trophy will eventually end in triumph -- or yet more pain and frustration.

What they've added?
At this point, the Raiders are more about retaining key veterans than acquiring substantial free agents. For one, their cap situation is such that they didn't have the room to make an abundance of moves like last year. Secondly, with so many starters in place, they didn't have as many holes to address.

One area of need was the defensive line, where the Raiders lost tackle Sam Adams and end Regan Upshaw to free agency. They addressed the departures by signing former 49er tackle Dana Stubblefield and drafting end Tyler Brayton and linebacker Sam Williams, who'll be converted to end. Also on defense, they hope first-round pick Nnamdi Asomugha is able to fill the void left by cornerback Tory James.

With the exception of fullback, there were no major changes on offense. Jon Ritchie left via free agency to join Philadelphia, and his spot will be filled by former Eagle Cecil Martin or Chris Hetherington.

What they're missing?
Depth. The Raiders go into 2003 with practically all of their offensive starters back and most of their main defensive leaders in place. But the departures of Adams, James, Upshaw and Anthony Dorsett could hurt down the line, especially if the injury bug bites like it did a year ago.

Starting cornerbacks Phillip Buchanon and Charles Woodson are coming off of injuries that caused them to miss significant time last year. After veteran Terrance Shaw, Oakland doesn't have a proven corner ready to be thrust into action if Buchanon or Woodson need to be replaced. The safety spot is even more bleak. Rod Woodson is coming off a Pro Bowl season, but is surrounded by Derrick Gibson and a few other unproven young veterans. Don't be surprised if the Raiders make a move to beef up their secondary by training camp.

Fantasy Focus

Although Jerry Porter was listed only as Oakland's No. 3 wideout last season, he led the team in receiving touchdowns (9). Porter, who is entering his fourth season, is ready to slide into Tim Brown's No. 2 spot for last year's NFL's top-rated passing attack. In his 14th season, Brown's production dwindled in 2002. His streak of nine straight 1,000-yard seasons was snapped, and he failed to score in the final 13 games, finishing with only 930 yards and two scores. Porter has become Rich Gannon's big-play threat and a target in the red zone with his athleticism and size (6-2, 200 pounds). Porter, who finished among the top 30 fantasy wideouts last season, will likely emerge as a productive No. 2 fantasy receiver. -- Roger Rotter, ESPN.com fantasy editor

Amid recent news that guard Mo Collins has been re-signed and they're retaining Barret Robbins, whose disappearance and subsequent hospitalization before the Super Bowl created a firestorm, the Raiders are unlikely to further address a good but aging line.

What it all means?
In a conference of good but perhaps not great teams, the Raiders are in position to make yet another run.

In two of the past three postseasons, the Raiders were thumped by teams with great defenses -- Baltimore and Tampa Bay. But as the Rams have proven, a great offense is good enough for a franchise to capture the Lombardi Trophy, and Gannon still has all his weapons in place. If there's a concern, it's whether the old legs of Gannon, Jerry Rice and Tim Brown -- and Rod Woodson and Bill Romanowski on defense -- will become a detriment.

Several teams have had to endure the frustration of repeatedly coming up short before finally winning the big one -- including John Madden's Raiders in the 1970s. But this is a different era, and the window of opportunity generally closes a lot faster than it did 30 years ago.

James C. Black is an NFL editor for ESPN.com.