The 1993 Los Angeles Raiders season was the franchise's 34th season overall, and the franchise's 24th season in the National Football League. The team improved upon its 7–9 record in the previous season and returned to the NFL playoffs after a one-year absence, but lost in the AFC Divisional game to the Buffalo Bills.

This was the Raiders' final playoff appearance in Los Angeles, and would not return to the playoffs until 2000, when the franchise returned to Oakland. This would be the final season for receiver Willie Gault and defensive end Howie Long before their retirements. Additionally, defensive end Greg Townsend, who along with Long and center Don Mosebar were the only players left from the Raiders' Super Bowl XVIII championship team of 10 years earlier, left to play for the Philadelphia Eagles (in 1997; Townsend would return to the Raiders, by then having returned to their original home in Oakland, for his final season).

Offseason

During the offseason the Raiders signed quarterback Jeff Hostetler from the New York Giants to lead the offense.

Joe Kelly, a former first round pick of the Bengals was signed to fill the middle linebacker slot.

Left tackle Gerald Perry was signed from the Rams to solidify the left tackle position which the Raiders had struggled to fill since the retirement of former Raider left tackles Bruce Davis and Art Shell.

Future Hall of Famer Marcus Allen, the team's all-time leading rusher, was allowed to leave as a free agent and later signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Notable Cuts

To fill Allen's spot, the Raiders signed running back Gaston Green, formerlly of the Denver Broncos. However, Green did not make the team and was cut prior to the 1993 season.

The Los Angeles Raiders also brought back James Lofton from the Buffalo Bills. Lofton played for the Raiders during the 1987–1988 seasons. But like Green, he was cut prior to the 1993 season.^[1]

NFL draft

The 1993 draft for the Los Angeles Raiders eventually produced several starters. With the 12th pick in the first round the Raiders drafted safety Patrick Bates from Texas A&M.

The Raiders did not have a second round pick.

In the third round with the 58th pick the team drafted quarterback Billy Joe Hobert from Washington. Also in the third round with the 72nd pick the Raiders took defensive back James Trapp from Clemson.

In the fifth round the team drafted wide receiver Olanda Truitt from Mississippi State. The Raiders next pick occurred in the seventh round and with the 181st pick the team took linebacker Greg Biekert from Colorado.

The Raiders' final pick of the 1993 draft occurred in the 8th round, where they drafted running back Greg Robinson from Louisiana-Monroe.^[2]

Legacy

Greg Biekert proved to be the best of the group. He went on to become a primary starter in 1994 and was a starter for the Raiders until 2001. He started 123 out of a possible 144 games with the Raiders with 15 sacks, 5 fumble recoveries and 3 interceptions. As the Raiders middle linebacker he also recorded 704 tackles and 212 assists with the Raiders.^[3]

As a rookie running back Greg Robinson started 12 games and led the 1993 Los Angeles Raiders in rushing with 591 yards and a touchdown. He also added 15 receptions for 142 yards.^[4]

James Trapp was the third best of the bunch and he stayed on the Raiders roster as a sometime starter and as a reserve until the end of the 1996 season. He then spent four years with the Ravens and helped Baltimore achieve their first Super Bowl victory. With the Raiders he started 26 out of 88 games that he appeared in which included 4 interceptions and 3 fumble recoveries.^[5]

Olanda Truitt ended up leaving Los Angeles prior to the 1993 season and spent one year with the Vikings before spending two straight seasons with Washington. During that time he caught just 15 passes for 283 yards. In 1996, he returned to the Raiders and played two more years for them. He ended his career with just 22 catches.^[6] Hobert appeared in just 12 games for the Raiders between 1993 and 1996 which included 5 starts. Hobert went 0–5 as the Raiders starter in 1995–1996 and eventually left the team. He passed for 3,371 yards with the Raiders, Saints and Bills.^[7]

Although Bates was the Raiders first round choice in the 1993 draft, he played for the Raiders for only two years (93–94) recording just 69 tackles in 29 game appearances. In 1996, he played one season with Atlanta.^[8]

Staff

Roster

Regular season

Schedule

Standings