Oakland Raiders: Free Agents The Team Should Make A Run At This Offseason
By Kevin Saito
Unlike a lot of the clamoring for a player who hits the open market, chasing Tamba Hali makes a certain amount of sense. Though his contract with the Chiefs has been voided, Kansas City has made no bones about the fact that they want him back – at the right price.
And the price may be the sticking point for McKenzie. Hali is 32 years old and has had a ten year career thus far. He battled some injuries last season – which led to a slight drop in production – but he still managed to appear in 15 games last season, with 14 starts for the Chiefs. For the season, Hali totaled just 48 total tackles on the year and just six and a half sacks. Though, his “drop in production” based on statistics, seems to have been overblown just a bit.
Hali could provide Oakland with a veteran linebacker who is versatile and can play one of the outside linebacker spots when they run a 3-4 set and slide into a defensive end position when DC Ken Norton Jr. calls for a 4-3 alignment – Hali was a defensive end his first three seasons in the league and racked up 18.5 sacks over that stretch.
Hali would also give the Raiders a veteran presence – something they need with the retirement of Justin Tuck. Hali probably one has a couple of years left on the field, but he could help this Raiders defense in the here and now. He still hass something left in the tank and perhaps, after having his contract voided in Kansas City, something left to prove. He could be a good addition to a young, promising defense.
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