Oakland Raiders: Reassessing Draft Needs After 1st Wave of Free Agency
With more than $60 million to spend, the Oakland Raiders were expected to make a big splash in free agency. Instead, what general manager Reggie McKenzie has done so far has been far from what everyone hoped for or anticipated.
That doesn't mean McKenzie hasn't done a good job. He's addressed several major needs. He's also made two things clear: He's trying to rebuild the roster from the inside out, and he will not get caught up in bidding wars for big names, regardless of the player.
The new additions to the roster have also clarified what the Raiders' plans will be during the draft. In a previous article, I noted that wide receiver, defensive tackle, center, middle linebacker, defensive end, running back and safety are the positions the team has to upgrade first.
Through free agency, McKenzie has secured a starter at center, defensive tackle, middle linebacker and safety. But the team still needs starters and more talent overall, and Oakland can find that in the draft.
After the free-agent additions, here's how the Raiders should approach the draft.
Who's Been Added so Far
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Through the first few days of free agency, the Raiders have officially made the following additions, via Raiders.com:
| Player | Position |
| Rodney Hudson | Center |
| Lee Smith | Tight End |
| Dan Williams | Defensive Tackle |
| Malcolm Smith | Linebacker |
| Roy Helu Jr. | Running Back |
| Curtis Lofton | Linebacker |
| Nate Allen | Safety |
| James Dockery | Cornerback |
In addition, the Raiders signed backup quarterback Christian Ponder on Friday, according to the team's Twitter account.
Some of these new additions are expected to immediately step in as starters: Hudson, Williams, Lofton and Allen. The talent level of the roster has gotten better overall, but Oakland still has to improve in this department through the draft and continue to fill needs.
5. Running Back
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When Oakland should address this position: Third round or later
The Raiders find themselves in an interesting position at running back. Right now, Latavius Murray and Roy Helu Jr. are the primary running backs, which leaves one spot to fill on the active roster.
The issue is that the team also has Marcel Reece and Jamize Olawale at fullback, but the position isn't going to be around for the Raiders in 2015. What will become of Reece and Olawale? Will they be added to the running back depth chart? Will they be cut?
The running back position remains in flux. But no matter how you look at it, it needs to be reinforced, and the draft will provide many excellent options. This will be true later in the draft, which is when the Raiders should look to address the position.
| Top Running Back Draft Targets | Projected Round |
| Mike Davis (South Carolina) | 3rd-4th |
| Javorius Allen (USC) | 3rd-4th |
| Terrence Magee (LSU) | 4th-5th |
| Matt Jones (Florida) | 5th-6th |
| John Crockett (North Dakota State) | 7th |
None of these players is a projected starter. But they wouldn't be brought in to carry the load. Instead, they would be situational backs who could prove effective in limited action along with contributing on special teams.
Ultimately, the best option could be to move Reece from fullback to running back, where he's proved to be effective in the past. But if the Raiders look to the draft to add depth, these running backs are great options in the mid-to-late rounds.
4. Safety
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When Oakland should address this position: Third round to fifth round
The Raiders are set at safety for at least one more season thanks to the return of Charles Woodson and the addition of Nate Allen. But the team needs to start looking to the future. While this year's safety draft class isn't overly impressive, there are some good options, and they'll be available in the mid-rounds.
The experience the Raiders already have at the position gives McKenzie an ideal situation to add a safety who won't be expected to start right away. Instead, he will be able to learn from the veterans in front of him and then take on a more prominent role in 2016.
Woodson is currently the free safety, which means Allen will step in at strong safety. But Allen could step in for Woodson once the future Hall of Famer retires, leaving an opening at strong safety.
Because of this, Oakland can use help at both strong safety and free safety, which gives the team a bigger pool of prospects to choose from.
| Top Safety Draft Targets | Projected Round |
| Jaquiski Tartt (Strong Safety, Samford) | 3rd |
| Damarious Randall (Free Safety, Arizona State) | 3rd |
| Gerod Holliman (Free Safety, Louisville) | 3rd-4th |
| Durell Eskridge (Free Safety, Syracuse) | 4th |
| Jordan Richards (Strong Safety, Stanford) | 5th |
The players that Oakland can take in these rounds have work to do to learn the NFL game, but the talent is there. Whoever the Raiders draft would have the opportunity to learn from veterans before having to take on too much responsibility.
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3. Right Guard
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When Oakland should address this position: Third round to sixth round
The Raiders have quietly put together a solid offensive line. But there's still one glaring need: right guard. The team is set at every other spot on the offensive line for the foreseeable future, but McKenzie has yet to find a permanent solution at this position.
Fortunately, the draft will offer a deep mid-round group of guards.
| Top Guard Draft Targets | Projected Round |
| Ali Marpet (Hobart) | 2nd-3rd |
| Josue Matias (Florida State) | 3rd-4th |
| Mitch Morse (Missouri) | 4th |
| Jamil Douglas (Arizona State) | 4th-5th |
| Jeremiah Poutasi (Utah) | 5th-6th |
Each of these players requires some work, and some will be switching positions:
- Marpet is coming from a small school where he played left tackle.
- Matias is a better pass-blocker than run-blocker.
- Morse played mostly tackle, but he's built to play inside.
- Douglas can rely too much on his size and needs to work on his technique.
- Poutasi played mostly left tackle in college, but a lack of quickness makes him a better fit at guard in the NFL.
But the solid, veteran offensive line McKenzie has put together can take a rookie under its wing. The veteran leadership and experience will also help to cover up some of the flaws and growing pains that a rookie will go through early on.
And, while he's not the most exciting option, the Raiders still have Khalif Barnes, who's proved throughout his career to be an unspectacular but effective guard. This will give the newly drafted guard time to grow into the position.
2. Defensive End
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When Oakland should address this position: First round to second round
McKenzie has quietly done a good job of rebuilding the Oakland defensive line. Justin Ellis, last year's fourth-round pick, proved to be a good run-stuffer. The addition of Dan Williams, who's also a proven run-stopper, has suddenly, at least on paper, made the Raiders one of the tougher teams in the NFL to run against, especially up the middle.
But the team is still lacking at defensive end. Justin Tuck showed that he still has something left in the tank, so the team can depend on him for at least one more year. But aside from him, the team lacks a proven presence on the edge. This makes adding a defensive end through the draft a priority and a selection that might be made as early as the first round.
| Top Defensive End Draft Targets | Projected Round |
| Shane Ray (Missouri) | 1st |
| Alvin Dupree (Kentucky) | 1st |
| Danielle Hunter (LSU) | 1st-2nd |
| Preston Smith (Mississippi State) | 2nd |
| Mario Edwards Jr. (Florida State) | 2nd-3rd |
Note: Nebraska's Randy Gregory, who's projected to go in the first round, has been omitted from this list. While he was an impressive defensive end in college, his size (6'5", 235 lbs) projects him as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense in the NFL. The Raiders use a 4-3 defense, which makes Gregory a bad fit.
This has to be one of Oakland's top priorities, and it needs to be addressed within the first couple of rounds. Given how deep this group is, waiting until the second round isn't a bad thing as there will still be plenty of options available.
Ellis and Williams will be able to disrupt the opponent's run game, so what McKenzie needs to find is a player who can consistently apply pressure from the edge.
1. Wide Receiver
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When Oakland should address this position: First round to second round
Wide receiver was arguably the Raiders' weakest position in 2014, and McKenzie has done nothing to improve the unit. Of the top three receivers expected to be available at the position—Randall Cobb, Jeremy Maclin and Torrey Smith—only Maclin and Smith actually hit the market, and the Raiders weren't a contender for either one.
Oakland is in desperate need of a proven No. 1 receiver, but there aren't any left in free agency. Rod Streater has the physical tools to play the part, but he's yet to prove that he's capable of actually being a No. 1 option. This leaves the team with the draft as the best way to address this problem.
With how big the need is for the team and the elite talent available at the position, the Raiders taking a wide receiver with the fourth overall pick isn't quite a guarantee, but it's pretty close to that.
| Top Wide Receiver Draft Targets | Projected Round |
| Kevin White (West Virginia) | 1st |
| Amari Cooper (Alabama) | 1st |
| DeVante Parker (Louisville) | 1st |
| Dorial Green-Beckham (Oklahoma) | 1st |
| Nelson Agholor (USC) | 2nd |
The Raiders have to add a No. 1 receiver in the draft. For that to happen, they have to take one in the first round. At fourth overall, White and Cooper are the best options. A trade down to the middle of the first round would make Green-Beckham and Parker possibilities.
The top-heavy nature of this year's wide receiver draft class has left Agholor somewhat under the radar, but he's a first-round talent. Waiting until the second round to find a No. 1 receiver is risky, but Agholor will be a steal here.
Unless otherwise noted, all stats taken from ESPN.com. Draft projections taken from CBSSports.com.
How do you think Oakland's early moves in free agency affect the draft? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section and on Twitter @BrianJ_Flores.
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