Oakland Raiders' 2017 Free-Agency Big Board

The sting of how it ended aside, 2016 was the Oakland Raiders' best season in a good long while.

After a postseason drought of over a decade, the Raiders won 12 games and made the playoffs. Before a broken leg ended quarterback Derek Carr's season (and with it Oakland's, for all intents and purposes), the Raiders looked the part of a Super Bowl contender.

You can't say enough good things about the job general manager Reggie McKenzie has done in turning the Raiders around. A team that was a tomato can when he took over will now be listed among the AFC's leading contenders in 2017.

The work isn't done, though. Staying on top in the NFL can be even harder than getting there. Teams must constantly try to get better. Lose that momentum, and the slide into mediocrity (or worse) can happen quickly.

The first step for all 32 NFL teams happens in March when the NFL's free-agent marketplace opens. Luckily for the Raiders, their roster is already loaded with talent, especially on offense.

Not only that, but the Raiders find themselves in another situation they haven't been in in quite a few years—deep enough in the (silver and) black cap-wise to do some damage in free agency.

Here's a look at the Raiders cap situation, their expiring contracts and the areas they need to address as McKenzie and Co. try to prove last season's success wasn't a one-shot deal.

Salary-Cap Specifics

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Projected Available Cap Space (via Spotrac): $49.8 Million

Look at it. Look at all that glorious cap space.

After years of being saddled with bad contracts and dead money from worse ones, the Raiders enter 2017 with the 11th-most projected cap space in the NFL. Better still, of the 10 teams with more room under the cap, only the Washington Redskins have more players under contract.

The Raiders do have some expiring deals of note, though. The biggest is probably tailback Latavius Murray's. The three-year veteran didn't match the 1,000-yard campaign he posted in 2015, but Murray led the Raiders last season in both rushing yards (788) and touchdowns on the ground (12).

Murray made it clear on SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk) that he hopes to stay in Oakland.

“I want to stay and finish what I started,” Murray said. “I don’t want to go anywhere. I don’t want to be a guy who’s bouncing around the NFL from team to team. … This season was a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to winning a championship with these guys.”

The question becomes whether the Raiders feel they can afford Murray given the presence of two other promising running backs on the roster in Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington.

There's a decision to be made on defense too. Linebacker Malcolm Smith, who paced Oakland with 103 total tackles in 2016, is also set to hit free agency. Despite leading the team in stops, Terrance Biggs of Yahoo Sports opined that the Raiders should be prepared to let Smith walk if he's looking for the $3.5 million he made last year.

"On occasion," Biggs said, "Smith played well for the Oakland Raiders. There were too many blown coverages and technical errors which lead to huge plays. Frankly, the Raiders can and should look to improve. With a decent OLB crop in the draft and free agency, finding his replacement isn’t an issue. Malcolm Smith fits many teams. Yet, the Oakland Raiders shouldn’t be one."

Of course, letting Smith walk creates new problems for the Raiders, especially with starting MIKE linebacker Perry Riley also set to hit the open market.

In fact, that's the theme for the Raiders in free agency...

Questions on defense.

Still, McKenzie has put the team in position to answer most of those questions this offseason. Now, it's just a matter of how he chooses to do so.

Plenty has been written about McKenzie's efforts to dig the Raiders out of the hole Al Davis dug late in his life. But the amount of salary sunlight they can see now is a better testimonial to how well he's done than any accolades he's received.

Team Needs

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Here are the Raiders' biggest positional needs entering free agency in 2017.

Priority Need 1: Defensive End

• Given Oakland's salary situation and the premium pass-rushers carry in free agency, much of the team's cap space could vanish in a hurry if it chooses to make a veteran splash here. But the Raiders were dead last in the National Football League in sacks in 2016 with 25, and almost half of those came courtesy of Khalil Mack. Mack's a monster, but he needs help.

Priority Need 2: Cornerback

• Remember what I said about a theme? This is another spot that would be expensive to address via free agency given what even middling veterans can fetch on the open market. However, Oakland finished last season 24th in the league in pass defense, and Sean Smith was the Raiders' only qualifying cornerback who placed inside the top 50 at the position per Pro Football Focus.

Priority Need 3: Defensive Tackle

• Stop me if you've heard this one—the Raiders need help on the defensive side of the ball. The team has one of the weakest depth charts in the league on the interior of the defensive front. Dan Williams was OK in 2016, but the 330-pounder didn't play up to his paycheck. He could be a cap casualty just one year after signing with Oakland.

Priority Need 4: Linebacker

• Both Smith and Riley are set to hit free agency this spring, and youngsters Ben Heeney and Cory James struggled in a big way in 2016. Whether it's with new faces or by retaining the old, the Raiders can't afford to let their LB corps fall into disrepair, or their AFC West ascension may be short-lived. Never mind that the arrival of new defensive assistant John Pagano could signify a front-seven shake-up.

Priority Need 5: Quarterback

• In Derek Carr, the Raiders have one of the best young signal-callers in the NFL. And Connor Cook may one day become a more-than-viable No. 2 option. But as we saw in his playoff start against the Houston Texans, Cook isn't there yet. A team with Super Bowl aspirations needs a better backup plan than free agent to-be Matt McGloin.

Priority Need 1: Defensive End

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Option 1: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, New York Giants (28 years old)

It won't take long to find out if all of McKenzie's cap space is burning a hole in his pocket. Making a run at Pierre-Paul, one of this year's biggest talents headed to free agency, would be many things. It would be bold. It would be aggressive.

But it would not be cheap.

Pierre-Paul just tallied 53 tackles and seven sacks in 12 games playing on a one-year, $10 million "prove it" deal with the Giants after losing part of his right hand in a fireworks accident in 2015. And Pierre-Paul made it clear to Mike Garafalo of NFL.com that he isn't interested in a short-term deal again.

"I've done proved it," Pierre-Paul said. "There's not a guy like me doing it with seven and a half fingers."

Assuming that the money's right, Oakland would be a tempting destination for Pierre-Paul—a chance to win right away playing opposite one of the best defenders in football.

That sound you hear is AFC West quarterbacks sobbing.

Option 2: Jabaal Sheard, DE, New England Patriots (27 years old)

Oakland fans would no doubt like to see the team sign Pierre-Paul. It's human nature. Splash signings create buzz and optimism, even if more often than not the real impact of the signing falls short of the hype.

However, adding a player like Sheard could be both impactful and of solid value. After an eight-sack season in 2015, Sheard appeared to be a rising star, but his playing time declined as the 2016 season progressed. With the six-year veteran seemingly out of favor in New England, Sheard likely has a change of scenery in the cards.

He may not have the resume of some standouts at the position, but he's a veteran end capable of both setting the edge and getting after the quarterback, and he's amassed 36 sacks over his career.

In 2016, Pro Football Focus ranked Sheard 15th among 4-3 defensive ends, and he'd be a solid complement to Mack on the defensive front.

Option 3: Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals (30 years old)

That Calais Campbell is listed third is in no way a slight to his talent. The 30-year-old is one of the most underrated defensive ends in football. But Campbell is a 3-4 end—and one who could easily net more than $10 million a season on the open market to boot.

Before Monday, I wouldn't have given the idea of Oakland pursuing Campbell a second thought. But the hiring of Pagano (whose experience lies mainly with 3-4 schemes) raises the possibility that Oakland will use more three-man fronts in 2017.

If they're looking to change and willing to be aggressive, Campbell would be the man to go after up front. In his nine NFL seasons, Campbell has never reached the 10-sack mark, but judging him solely by that stat does him a grave injustice. He's phenomenal against the run and scary fast for a 300-pounder.

Not only was Campbell the top-ranked 3-4 end in the NFL in 2016, per Pro Football Focus, but his grade of 56.0 more than doubled the runner-up's.

Any number of teams will pursue Campbell, but the Raiders can offer something many others can't—the opportunity to make a legitimate run at the Super Bowl in 2017.

Will it happen? Probably not. But if you're going to gamble on a scheme change, you might as well have an ace up your sleeve.

Other Options to Consider: Mario Addison, Carolina Panthers (29 years old), Andre Branch, Miami Dolphins (27 years old), Jack Crawford, Dallas Cowboys (28 years old), William Gholston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (25 years old), Charles Johnson, Carolina Panthers (30 years old), Paul Kruger, New Orleans Saints (30 years old), Chris Long, New England Patriots (31 years old), Damontre Moore, Seattle Seahawks (24 years old), Devin Taylor, Detroit Lions (27 years old)

Priority Need 2: Cornerback

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Option 1: Trumaine Johnson, Los Angeles Rams (27 years old)

If you were hoping to see A.J. Bouye of the Houston Texans listed here, forget it. The Texans aren't going to let a young cornerback like Bouye slip away after a career season, even if it takes the franchise tag to keep him.

In fact, that may be exactly the route the Texans go, just as the Los Angeles Rams slapped the franchise tag on Trumaine Johnson last season.

Now, after an uneven fifth season and with a new coaching staff taking over in La-La Land, there's speculation that Johnson will test the waters in free agency rather than receive the long-term deal he seeks from the Rams.

Johnson wasn't great in 2016 (35th among cornerbacks at Pro Football Focus), but he fared much better in pass coverage, ranking inside the top 20.

The wisdom of this deal, frankly, comes down to its size. If the last couple seasons are any indication, a good comparison for Johnson might be Byron Maxwell of the Miami Dolphins—a good (but not great) veteran corner who was highly overpaid in free agency a couple of years ago.

Johnson would be an improvement at corner opposite Smith, but McKenzie needs to be willing to pass if the bidding gets too high.

No repeating franchise mistakes of years past.

Option 2: Prince Amukamara, Jacksonville Jaguars (27 years old)

Now that we've considered one of the top-shelf cornerbacks, it's time to hop a peg or two down the proverbial totem pole. Unless McKenzie decides to go nuts in free agency (unlikely given his history), it's probable the Raiders will be in the market more for a Pontiac than a Cadillac.

After all, the Raiders just spent big on the cornerback position last season. With other holes to fill on defense, expecting Oakland to do it again seems unrealistic.

A player like Amukamara, on the other hand, might be a realistic target. The 27-year-old has shown flashes of the talent that once made him a first-round pick, but injuries and inconsistency have taken him from Super Bowl champion as a rookie to afterthought with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

For the chance to win again and resurrect his career, Amukamara might be willing to ink a short-term "prove it" deal with the Raiders.

Option 3: Dre Kirkpatrick, Cincinnati Bengals (27 years old)

Like Amukamara, Kirkpatrick is a former first-round pick who has failed to live up to that draft slot. However, there shouldn't be any shortage of interest in Kirkpatrick in free agency.

That tends to happen when a cornerback is 6'2".

Kirkpatrick has indicated that money isn't his only priority in free agency, though. As Turron Davenport of USA Today reported, when a Rams fan asked Kirkpatrick to join Los Angeles on Twitter, Kirkpatrick quipped, "I wanna win."

The Raiders can't come close to paying Kirkpatrick the kind of money that teams like the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Jaguars can. But they can certainly offer him the opportunity to both start and win some football games.

It's worth at least kicking the tires to see if that's enough.

Other Options to Consider: Valentino Blake, Tennessee Titans (26 years old), Brandon Carr, Dallas Cowboys (30 years old), Nolan Carroll, Philadelphia Eagles (30 years old), Stephon Gilmore, Buffalo Bills (26 years old), Captain Munnerlyn, Minnesota Vikings (28 years old), Jerraud Powers, Baltimore Ravens (29 years old), Josh Robinson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (26 years old), Corey White, Buffalo Bills (26 years old)

Priority Need 3: Defensive Tackle

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Option 1: Nick Fairley, New Orleans Saints (29 years old)

No, you aren't going to see Kawann Short listed here either. I'm trying to keep these potential targets contained to things that have a better chance than a Death Valley snow cone. Short isn't making it to free agency—period.

In fact, if the New Orleans Saint's Nick Fairley has his wish, per Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com, he won't be either. After logging a career-high 6.5 sacks in 2016, Fairley said Monday: "I feel real good here. Throughout this year, I felt comfortable, growing as an individual and a player. I think I played my most consistent ball this year. I just feel like it's the right fit for me."

However, the Saints aren't exactly drowning in cap space themselves, and Fairley is one of a precious few pass-rushers about to hit free agency.

Fairley would fit Oakland's interior needs to a tee, but a weak free-agent class could raise his price out of the Raiders' range.

Remember, it wasn't long ago that Fairley couldn't control his weight and washed out in Motown, and more than one player has run into trouble after inking a big contract.

Option 2: Johnathan Hankins, New York Giants (24 years old)

Just like Fairley, Hankins made it clear to Dan Duggan of NJ.com that given his choice, there won't be any house-hunting in his future this spring.

"I talked to (general manager) Jerry Reese and them and they would like to have me back so we've just got to get on the same page," Hankins said. "Obviously I would definitely want to come back, but it ain't always up to me. So we'll see how everything turns out."

However, given all the money the New York Giants sank into Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison last year, re-upping Hankins could be easier said than done—especially if the team decides to bring back Jason Pierre-Paul.

Meaning Hankins, who recorded 43 tackles and three sacks a season ago, could hit the open market.

In addition to his 10 career sacks, Hankins won't turn 25 years old until March. That gives him the makings of a player who could team with Mack for several years to come.

The question here is the same as with all the tackles—money. Hankins has two things going for him (youth and upside) that could convince an NFL team with a ton of cap space that a $25 million deal is actually a bargain.

But it could just as easily be a boondoggle.

Option 3: Bennie Logan, Philadelphia Eagles (27 years old)

While speaking with Aaron Kasinitz of PennLive, Eagles executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman made it clear that all things being equal, the Eagles would love to bring the 27-year-old Logan back in 2017.

"Bennie fits in that group as a fiber guy, a guy that we drafted that has great character, leadership and is a really good player. We'd love to keep Bennie around," he said.

There's a problem with that, of course. Logan's a talented run-stuffer entering the prime of his career. As Kasinitz pointed out, Over The Cap projected Logan to receive a deal in free agency that will pay him more than $6 million a season.

Frankly, that sort of money causes an issue for the Raiders with every big man on this list. Given Fairley's sack numbers, Hankins' youth and Logan's ability at the point of attack, each of these young men could easily command contracts in excess of $20 million.

Can Oakland afford such a deal? Yes. But just as at the other positions, taking on that contract means eschewing impact players at another spot—unless McKenzie plans a Jerry Reese-esque splash year in free agency in 2017.

It's hard to imagine McKenzie, who learned the front office trade from Ted "What's Free Agency" Thompson in Green Bay, taking a route similar to the New York Giants' a year ago.

That means every signing will ripple across the entirety of the team.

Other Options to Consider: Tyson Alualu, Jacksonville Jaguars (29 years old), Terrell McClain, Dallas Cowboys (28 years old), Domata Peko, Cincinnati Bengals (32 years old), Tyrunn Walker, Detroit Lions (26 years old), Sylvester Williams, Denver Broncos (28 years old)

Priority Need 4: Linebacker

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Option No. 1: Zach Brown, Buffalo Bills (27 years old)

A year ago at this time, Zach Brown was just hoping to earn a starting job with his new team after signing a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills. When the Bills drafted Reggie Ragland, those hopes appeared to be all but dashed.

Then Ragland got hurt, and Brown spent the season starting opposite Preston Brown for the Bills—where he proceeded to lead the AFC with 149 total tackles.

ESPN.com's John Clayton listed Brown 43rd among all available free agents. Only Dont'a Hightower of the Patriots received a higher grade among inside linebackers.

The Patriots aren't going to part with Hightower—not after trading Jamie Collins earlier in the season and watching Hightower make the Pro Bowl.

That leaves Brown as the crown jewel of a class of linebackers that's deep but sorely lacking in star power.

Whether that's enough for the Raiders to pursue him may depend on how the Smith/Riley situation plays out, as well as who Oakland goes after at other positions.

Option No. 2: Nick Perry, Green Bay Packers (26 years old)

Until Monday evening, I wouldn't have considered putting Perry on a potential target list for the Raiders. Or any other "rush" outside linebacker, for that matter. But Pagano's hiring could mean Oakland will use more of the 3-4 looks it dabbled in last season.

Enter Perry, who's been on a strong upward trajectory dating back to the 2015 playoffs, according to Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com.

"General manager Ted Thompson brought Perry back on a one-year, $5 million contract last offseason after a boffo playoff run," Rosenthal said. "Perry will cost a lot more after collecting a team-high 11 sacks."

This is as speculative as speculative gets. Perry isn't going to come cheaply after hitting double digits in sacks last year.

Reggie McKenzie's mentor in Titletown has been known to balk at doling out big contracts. But at 265 pounds, Perry has the size to rush the passer from an end spot in sub-packages.

If nothing else, the Pagano hire made this offseason that much more interesting for the Raiders.

Not that they needed any more intrigue.

Option No. 3: A.J. Klein, Carolina Panthers (25 years old)

As Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer wrote, after spending the first four years of his career as Luke Kuechly's understudy, it might be time for Klein to leave the nest in Carolina.

"Klein struggled at first as the starter after Kuechly went down, especially in coverage (though that wasn’t entirely his fault)," Rodrigue said. "But he improved by the end of the season, and as a free agent will shop around to see where he might land a starting role."

Klein's struggles in coverage (75th among all linebackers at Pro Football Focus in that regard) were pronounced early but began to ease as he worked through the most extended playing time of his career at the end of last season.

I'm not going to sit here and say that Klein's a great linebacker. But he's not a terrible one either. Most importantly for the Raiders, his best football is still ahead of him and he's the sort of player the team might have a realistic shot at signing on the (relatively) cheap.

Given how well Riley played under defensive coordinator Ken Norton's tutelage, it might be interesting to see what he could do with Klein.

Other Options to Consider: Gerald Hodges, San Francisco 49ers (26 years old), Kevin Minter, Arizona Cardinals (26 years old), Sio Moore, Arizona Cardinals (26 years old), Keenan Robinson, New York Giants (27 years old), Kelvin Sheppard, New York Giants (29 years old), Sean Spence, Tennesee Titans (26 years old), Manti T'eo, Los Angeles Chargers (25 years old), DeMarcus Ware, Denver Broncos (34 years old), Sean Weatherspoon, Atlanta Falcons (29 years old)

Priority Need 5: Quarterback

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Option No. 1: Brian Hoyer, Chicago Bears (31 years old)

This option most likely won't get past the speculation stage. After a season in which Hoyer threw for 1,445 yards with six scores without an interception and posted a passer rating of almost 100, he could be in high demand on the open market. And as demand increases, so does the price.

Also, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune wrote, Hoyer expressed a comfort level in the Windy City. “I would love to stay here,” Hoyer said. “I have comfortability with Dowell (Loggains) and his offense. Got an opportunity to play in the games and I think that kind of showed I know what to do and then learning my teammates."

Still, if Hoyer doesn't think he'll have a chance to start in Chicago, he might look for a spot where he can at least experience some team success while holding a clipboard.

Is it likely? No. Even a journeyman like Hoyer might be too rich for McKenzie's blood given Oakland's needs at other spots. But considering the sour taste of last year's late-season disaster under center, it's possible.

Option No. 2: Mark Sanchez, Dallas Cowboys (30 years old)

No Raiders fan wants to even consider the possibility of a situation where Mark Sanchez is starting a game for Oakland in 2017. No fan of any team wants to consider it.

But as we saw in 2016, sometimes you have to consider less than palatable scenarios.

Sanchez isn't close to the quarterback who led the New York Jets to back-to-back AFC title games during his halcyon days in New York. But he has started 72 NFL games over eight seasons. He's won in the regular season and in the playoffs. And while he may never have been great, Sanchez also isn't awful.

Had Sanchez (or Hoyer) started against the Texans in the AFC Wild Card Round, the Raiders may well have played on.

Option No. 3: Matt Cassel, Tennessee Titans (34 years old)

You're probably noticing a trend with these quarterbacks. The polite way to describe them would be "veterans." The accurate way to describe them would be "retreads."

But in many respects, that's exactly what the Raiders need.

Don't get me wrong. If Carr were to suffer another serious injury in 2017, the Raiders would be every bit as done as they were this season.

But if it's something relatively minor like a strained shoulder—a one- or two-week absence—then the Raiders just need someone to hold down the fort. Someone to keep Oakland alive in the AFC West race.

In short, the Raiders need a player who has been there and done that—and experienced at least some small modicum of success doing so.

Cassel fits that bill.

And for what it's worth, while the veteran quarterbacks listed here are hardly worldbeaters, they are experienced. That experience could benefit a young signal-caller like Carr.

Other Options to Consider: Blaine Gabbert, San Francisco 49ers (27 years old), Case Keenum, Los Angeles Rams (28 years old), Ryan Mallett, Baltimore Ravens (28 years old), T.J. Yates, Miami Dolphins (29 years old)