Ranking Oakland Raiders' Top Position Needs Ahead of 2018 Offseason

As we approach the end of the year, Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie should begin to align priorities for the offseason even with his team in a postseason race. As a front office executive, it's never too early to see the big picture.

Excluding a potential playoff appearance, the players have five weeks to put their best on film. Every offseason, general managers and coaching staffs must evaluate each position to figure out what's needed and how to acquire assets. 

We have 11 games on file for the 2017 campaign. Several players will become free agents in March. Obviously, the roster needs fine-tuning to continue as a competitive group going forward.

We'll take an early jump on solutions at weaker positions that need fresh talent. Which areas should McKenzie address during the 2018 offseason?

Long Snapper

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The Raiders special teams unit has already gone through changes with kicker Giorgio Tavecchio taking over for Sebastian Janikowski. 

Punter Marquette King may start the third year of his deal as the longest-tenured player in the three-man kicking setup. According to Spotrac, long snapper Jon Condo's contract will expire at the end of the season. Before turning 36 years old in August, he signed a one-year agreement. 

Condo's short-term pact suggests he may have a year-to-year deal in place with the ability to walk away on his own terms. In any case, someone must take over duties as the long snapper even though it's an overlooked responsibility. 

Andrew East, 26, has spent the last two offseasons on the Raiders roster after going undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2015. He's the likely replacement for Condo. 

Blocking Tight End

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Here's another thankless position need. Tight end Lee Smith took a pay cut in August. He doesn't catch many passes, but he's a huge help on the edge in blocking.

No, it's not a glamorous skill set, but the ability to field a tight end who can handle his assignment like an offensive lineman helps an inexperienced or struggling tackle on the perimeter. In a division with top-tier pass-rushers, it's a necessity to re-sign Smith or replace him with an experienced veteran.

Smith's familiarity with the Raiders offense and unselfish decision to drop his base salary, provide enough reason to retain him. He may draw an occasional penalty but ultimately aims to bring toughness up front. Nonetheless, the seventh-year veteran doesn't have an issue doing all the dirty work at the line of scrimmage.

Tight end Clive Walford hasn't seen the field enough to garner trust as an inline blocker or someone who can help slow down quality pass-rushers at the point of attack. He's not ready to fill that role.

Backup Safety

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Oakland should address this need during free agency. McKenzie filled the position with youth over the past two drafts. Karl Joseph, Obi Melifonwu and Shalom Luani will become the future in those safety spots within the secondary.

After experimenting with Melifonwu at cornerback to compensate for injuries, the 2017 second-rounder will likely move back to safety exclusively. However, he spent the first half of the season on injured reserve due to knee surgery and needs time to develop at his natural position.

Luani has only played 84 snaps on defense through 11 games. Assuming Joseph stays healthy, he'll finish the year with 27 games on his resume, which isn't equivalent to two full seasons.

The Raiders need an experienced safety who's been through it all, especially in playoff situations. 

Unless McKenzie decides to re-sign Keith McGill for his contributions on special teams, better options will hit the market. Erik Harris has developed into a quality asset in kick coverage, and he's a lot cheaper than a player on an expiring contract. 

Charles Woodson in his age-39 year with the team would have been perfect for this particular role.

Interior Defensive Lineman

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The Raiders could lose Denico Autry and Justin Ellis as unrestricted free agents in 2018.

Between the two, Autry, who came into the league undrafted, played with more consistency at his position. In a contract year, Ellis put together his best season after some uneven campaigns. 

The defense would miss Autry's ability to rush the passer and the versatility Ellis brings as a nose tackle plugging two gaps. Eddie Vanderdoes hasn't been effective after flashing early, but there's an entire offseason for growth. 

Right now, there's a deep rotation on the defensive line. Two subtractions could open opportunities for Jihad Ward to see significant snaps. The coaching staff would also likely push Darius Latham in his third year to fill the gaps on the interior. 

Nonetheless, nothing beats a known commodity with multiple question marks and untapped potential at a specific position.

Inside Linebacker

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Linebacker NaVorro Bowman hit the ground running in Oakland. He also secured the team's first interception in Week 12, but he came up with the football laying on his back as opposed to snatching it in coverage.

Bowman will turn 30 years old in March. Despite his solid play in run defense, he's been targeted in coverage. McKenzie must deviate from his draft philosophy and select a versatile inside linebacker in the early rounds. The complementary player could line up alongside Marquel Lee, who also showed limitations in coverage.

Khalil Mack's massive forthcoming deal will restrict the front office's spending boundaries during free agency. If the Raiders executive decides to re-sign Bowman for another year to groom the young talent, prepare for a handful of roster cuts. 

Regardless, it's imperative McKenzie changes tune on his strategic approach in addressing this critical position, which essentially serves as the quarterback of the defense.

Cornerback

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Oakland can't go into the 2018 season with Sean Smith and David Amerson as the starting cornerbacks.

After missing all but two games, we already know Gareon Conley will work to earn one of those spots. McKenzie will likely release Smith and recoup $8.5 million, per Over The Cap. His struggles started during the previous season.

The Raiders executive may hesitate to expunge Amerson's contract from the books. The 25-year-old cornerback has struggled with his play as well as injuries in 2017. Is it a one-year hiccup or a declining trend? We know McKenzie practices patience and may do so in this scenario.

The market will dictate whether T.J. Carrie returns to the roster. It's a mistake to overpay for a No. 3 cornerback if Amerson remains on the depth chart. The decision to start with a clean slate at the starting positions will create a need for Carrie's experience in case Conley doesn't fully recover from injury or a rookie develops at a slow pace.

After viewing McKenzie's track record on drafting cornerbacks, he should sign a veteran and add multiple selections at the position in April. With Carrie or Amerson on the roster, he would just need two acquisitions to pan out for a formidable secondary.