Ranking Oakland Raiders' Best Remaining Free-Agency Options

After the first week of free agency, all of the top free agents have already found a new home. The Oakland Raiders made their share of moves, but that doesn't mean the team doesn't still have important roster spots to fill.

Fortunately, the fact that the biggest free agents are gone doesn't mean that there are no good options available. And for a team like Oakland that's still short on overall talent and has plenty of cap space, now is a great time to further improve the roster.

The first week of free agency is for addressing the team's biggest needs. Now, it's a matter of trying to sign the best of the rest.

Given the players who are still available, it's no longer a matter of just looking for players who address areas of need. If a player does fill a major need, great, but general manager Reggie McKenzie has to consider adding anyone at any position who can help the team.

Here's a look at whom the Raiders should be prioritizing heading into the second week of free agency. These targets are some of the better overall options left on the market. They're also players at positions on the Oakland roster that still need a boost of talent.

Criteria

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In the second week of free agency, the question each team needs to answer is what type of player it is looking to add. For McKenzie and what he's looking for, the game plan is simple:

• Youth: Last year, McKenzie tried to fill out the roster with players who were experienced. Unfortunately, too many of them turned out to be just old. Now, the Raiders need to add players with the potential to contribute for a longer period of time.
• Depth: Starters aren't widely available anymore. But for a team like Oakland where overall depth is an issue, there are still plenty of areas to fill out. Players who can contribute in any way should be considered.
• Talent: Oakland needs guys who can make big plays in big moments. Despite last season's 3-13 record, just a few plays here and there would have added at least a couple of wins. Unfortunately, there was no one to make that play. But there are still some of those players available in the second week of free agency.

There's a reason why the players who are left remain unsigned. You're not going to find elite players at any position. And if such players are available, there are major concerns regarding their health or off-the-field issues. In other words, everyone left comes with major question marks.

McKenzie's goal now is to find players who can be solid contributors in a more limited capacity.

Honorable Mentions

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There are still some big names available, but that doesn't mean they should be on Oakland's radar. Here are some players that the Raiders need to take a pass on.

B.J. Raji

Raji should be entering his prime at 28 years old, but he missed all of last season with a torn right bicep (ironically, an injury he suffered in the preseason against the Raiders). However, he had been relatively healthy prior to that, missing only five games from 2009 to 2013.

But 2014 was supposed to be a "show me" year for Raji. His performance had dropped leading up to his free agency—he hasn't picked up a sack since 2011—which made the Green Bay Packers wary enough to only give him a one-year deal. Now, he finds himself in the same position, but with added injury concerns.

Also, he's spent his time in the NFL playing in a 3-4 defense at either nose tackle or defensive end. A switch to Oakland's 4-3 base defense, a drop-off in performance in recent years and a major injury make him too risky for a Raiders team that is looking for reliability.

Greg Hardy

After being convicted of domestic violence, Hardy appealed the ruling. However, Nicole Holder—the accuser and Hardy's ex-girlfriend—didn't show up to court, which led to a dismissal of the charges. According to ESPN.com's David Newton, "the district attorney's office said it has 'reliable information' that Holder and Hardy have reached a civil settlement and that she has 'intentionally made herself unavailable to the State.'"

This means that, at least as far as the law is concerned, Hardy is an innocent man. But the entire situation is just too shady. McKenzie has stated that the Raiders "don't have any intentions of doing anything with him." 

Hardy is easily the most impactful free agent left on the market. He's a Pro Bowl talent. He's a game-changer. But at this point, he's also far too toxic for the organization.

Michael Crabtree

The Raiders have yet to address what is perhaps the team's worst position: wide receiver. So it would make sense for the team to look at Crabtree, who's arguably the best receiver left on the market.

Unfortunately, he's yet to show that he's fully recovered from the torn Achilles he suffered in 2013. He's still only 27, but he's never proved to be an NFL-caliber No. 1 receiver on a weekly basis. Additionally, he's shown he can be a headache for coaches and teammates.

He's talented, but the injury history and bad attitude make him not worth the trouble for Oakland.

6. George Selvie: Defensive End

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The defensive end market has gotten really thin really fast. The players who are left—including guys like Dwight Freeney, Mathias Kiwanuka and Osi Umenyiora—form a list of once-dynamic defensive ends who have lost a step and are past their prime.

But within that group you can find George Selvie. While he's not the most exciting defensive end, he's 28 years old, which means he's entering his physical prime. He's totaled only 13 sacks in six seasons, but 10 of those have come in the last two years, during which time he hasn't missed a game.

The Raiders are likely to address the defensive end position in the first or second round of the upcoming draft, but the team still deeps depth. Aside from Justin Tuck, Oakland only has Benson Mayowa and Denico Autry at defensive end, who are both unproven.

Selvie has the potential to be an effective, if unspectacular, starter. And after the Raiders address the position in the draft, he would also be great for depth.

5. Jermaine Gresham: Tight End

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When free agency first began, Jermaine Gresham was one of the Raiders' first targets. He came to Oakland for a visit, and after spending several days there, it seemed like a deal was imminent. But Gresham ended up leaving without a deal, and talks between the tight end and the organization "are dead for now," according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.

But two things are still true: Gresham remains unsigned, and the Raiders can still use an upgrade at tight end. And with no team knocking down his door, he could eventually reach the conclusion that Oakland's offer wasn't so bad after all.

The Raiders have a pass-catching tight end in Mychal Rivera and added an elite blocking tight end in Lee Smith. Gresham is not the blocker that Smith is, and he might not be the receiver that Rivera is. But even though he's never lived up to the expectations of being a first-round selection, he can be the player who turns Oakland's tight ends into serious offensive weapons.

Having Gresham and Rivera on the field would make both of them more dangerous receivers. And Gresham and Smith together on the field would make Oakland's running game better overall. At the right price, Gresham can quietly be an important addition.

4. Hakeem Nicks: Wide Receiver

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After dealing with injuries throughout his career, how healthy is Hakeem Nicks now? Nicks told reporters, "Now, I am extremely healthy." If that's true, he could be primed for a return to his 2010-2011 form when he totaled 155 catches for 2,244 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Of course, his time since then has seen his career get derailed by a series of nagging injuries. That culminated last season with the Indianapolis Colts where he had the least productive season of his career: 38 catches, 405 yards and four touchdowns.

But Nicks is still only 27 years old. And if he truly is back to 100 percent healthy, it's possible, if not likely, that he'll return to his former levels of productivity.

This would be great for Oakland given how weak the team is at the position. While James Jones is consistent, he's a possession receiver. Andre Holmes and Rod Streater have shown potential, but neither has proved to be reliable. Even with the assumption that the Raiders will take a wide receiver with the fourth overall pick in the upcoming draft, the position still needs reinforcements.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Wilkening notes, "With his 2014 production off his past standards, Nicks might again be looking at short-term deals in free agency." But even on a short-term deal, Nicks could have a major impact in Oakland.

3. Sam Acho: Outside Linebacker/Defensive End

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After two promising years to start his career during which he totaled 88 tackles and 11 sacks, Sam Acho suffered a broken leg in 2013. He returned last season but wasn't the same player, and he now finds himself looking for a job.

The question still remains as to what position Acho is best suited to play. While in college at Texas, he was an effective defensive end. But when the Arizona Cardinals drafted him in 2011, they opted to move him to outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense.

However, Acho is more effective with his hand in the dirt, making a move back to defensive end in a 4-3 defense ideal. And this is what would happen if he joined the Raiders.

This would also address a major need for Oakland. The team is set at defensive tackle and at one defensive end position. Acho is capable of starting, and he has the potential to be effective. It's not often that a team can add a 26-year-old starter in the second week of free agency. But McKenzie could find that in Acho, and at a reasonable price.

2. Brian De La Puente: Guard

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Over the past two years, McKenzie has put together what could be one of the NFL's better offensive lines. Four of the five spots are secured, but the team still has a need at right guard. Both in cost and performance, Brian de la Puente is perfect for the job.

With Austin Howard, last year's right guard, set to move back to right tackle, Khalif Barnes is currently the leading candidate to step in between Howard and newly signed center Rodney Hudson. While Barnes can be effective, he's nothing more than a temporary solution.

The 29-year-old De la Puente, on the other hand, is capable of manning the position for the next three to five years. While he played center last season for the Chicago Bears (and did so well), he's just as good at guard, a position he's played in the NFL. He's a versatile and proven performer.

The Raiders have the makings of an offensive line that's ready to bully defensive fronts, but a glaring hole remains in the middle. Adding De la Puente would be the finishing touch on an offensive line capable of turning into one of the NFL's best.

1. Patrick Robinson: Cornerback

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McKenzie stated back in February that he didn't feel the need to bring in veteran help at cornerback: "We like what our young corners [D.J. Hayden, T.J. Carrie and Keith McGill] have done... I think it’s their turn." McKenzie's confidence is refreshing, but it doesn't change the facts on the field. And in regard to the "young corners," this is what we know:

• At 24, third-year man Hayden is the "veteran" of the group. He's missed 14 out of a possible 32 games in his first two years. In 2014 he exhibited some of the talent that got him drafted in the first round. But until he proves he can stay on the field, it's a gamble to depend on him.
• Carrie (who's only a month younger than Hayden) showed some flashes in 2014, but it'll be a big jump in responsibility from the spot duty he had last season to the starting role against No. 1 and No. 2 receivers he's looking at in 2015.
• Second-year man McGill, one of the "young corners," is actually the oldest of the three at 26 years old. He was mostly a special teamer, but he was able to get some playing time at cornerback late in the season due to injuries. He showed promise, but he certainly didn't prove that he's ready to be relied upon.

So what does all this mean? Despite McKenzie's confidence, this unit needs reinforcements. And one of the best options left is Patrick Robinson.

An advantage to adding Robinson is that, at 27 years old, he can be a part of the youth movement at the position. Yet despite his age, he's entering his sixth season, making him much more experienced than any of the other young guys. McKenzie has had to choose either youth or experience, but in Robinson, he can have both.

Even if Robinson doesn't step in as the No. 1 cornerback—a spot likely to go to Hayden—he would add experience and depth to a position group on the Oakland roster in desperate need of both.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats taken from ESPN.com.

Who do you think is the best of the rest? Which free agents do the Raiders need to prioritize? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section and on Twitter @BrianJ_Flores.