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What condition the Raiders position is in: Specialists

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We look at the Raiders special teams players and diagnose them either Strong, Stable, Touch and go, Serious, or Critical.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Starters: K Sebastian Janikowski, P Marquette King, LS Jon Condo, PR T.J. Carrie, KR Trindon Holliday
Depth: K Giorgio Tavecchio, P Steven Clark, Austin Willis, Amari Cooper, Taiwan Jones, Latavius Murray, Trent Richardson

Sebastian Janikowski returns for his 16th season with the Raiders. Marquette King enters his third season as the team's everyday punter. Giorgio Tavecchio and Steven Clark are camp legs unless otherwise needed. Jon Condo returns for his ninth season as long snapper.

Second year corner T.J. Carrie returns as punt returner. The team added Trindon Holliday as a kick returner since losing rookie Andre Debose with an Achilles tear. Latavius Murray can also handle the kick return duties in a pinch. Taiwan Jones is a gunner who can return kicks if called upon.

Condition: Serious

Simply having the same trio of kicker, punter, long snapper as the team has had the past two seasons doesn't mean everything is hunky dory. Janikowski has been reliable at times in his career, but one of his worst seasons in the proswas when Marquette King was his holder two years ago.

The team is looking to return King to his holding duties so it's anyone's guess if he and Janikowski will be able to work out their chemistry issues. Remember, the extra points are pushed back now to a 33-yard field goal try, which was no gimme when these two worked together before. It's enough to have the question arise as to whether newly signed Georgio Tavecchio could potentially be more than just a camp leg.

As far as the return game is concerned, T.J. Carrie looked very good as a rookie and even took over at both kick and punt returner at one point last season. He will now be looked to as a starter on defense which would make it difficult for him to pull triple duty.

The Raiders were looking for an exclusive kick returner. They drafted one in Andre Debose but he didn't last through OTA's before being lost for the season. They signed Trindon Holliday to replace him. Holliday has been electric at times in his 4-year career and has four career return touchdowns to prove it - two returning punts, two returning kicks. Unfortunately he also has 12 fumbles. It's the reason why he's been on five teams in four years and had difficulty finding a team this offseason.

Behind Holliday, there is a host of players who could probably do an admirable job, though none strike fear in anyone. Latavius Murray can get good yards per return, but isn't a great threat to take it the distance. Taiwan Jones lost his return duties a couple years ago due to his ball security issues. Austin Willis is anyone's guess. Amari Cooper never returned kicks in college and probably shouldn't be doing it now either. Not when the team so desperately needs his services as their number one receiver.

The best news on special teams could be Taiwan Jones being back after missing all of 2014. He is an outstanding gunner and his presence on coverage teams should be a welcome sight.