Oakland Raiders must prioritize need over splash as free agency nears

The Oakland Raiders are rolling through the offseason grabbing plenty of headlines – but, as the free agency window nears, the team must prioritize need over splash.

Psssstttt… hey, did you hear the Oakland Raiders are going after Le’Veon Bell in free agency?

Oh no, wait – they’re going after Jarvis Landry instead.

Oh no, no, wait – they’re going after (insert high profile offensive free agent here).

Yes, it seems we’re rolling up on that time of year again, folks – the NFL’s silly season. This is the time of year when people are reading their tea leaves, rolling the bones, or throwing darts at a paper with various names on it to connect teams with pending free agents.

In some cases, there’s some actual substance to it. In most cases though, it’s all speculation, guesstimation, suggestion, rumor, and innuendo. And in still other cases, it’s something made up out of whole cloth entirely. No more substantial than a puff of smoke on the breeze.

Given that the Raiders are looking to bounce back from a disastrous 6-10 campaign last season – a campaign that got their head coach fired – of course they are going to be connected with any and all high profile names people think can help the team get back over the hump.

And of course, most of the whispers and rumors running around are connecting the Raiders with a number of high profile players on the offensive side of the ball like Bell and Landry.

More from Golden Gate Sports

The Bell rumor caught fire when the MMQB’s Peter King tossed out a suggestion that the Raiders could be in play for the running back’s services.

Bell has threatened to sit out or retire if the Steelers were to tag him, rather than play for the $14 million plus he’d earn under the tag. Which would seem to suggest he’s looking for a bigger overall payday.

Some fans have already been clamoring for Landry to replace Michael Crabtree, who very well may be shown the door this offseason. He’s already stated that he’s not interested in taking a discount to stay with the Dolphins and is looking for top money for a number one wideout.

Given his stated position, Landry is very likely looking to be pulling in the kind of money the Deandre Hopkins‘ and Antonio Brown‘s of the league are making – which would be around $16-17 million annually.

Landry added fuel to the fire powering the rumor mill by heaping praise upon Derek Carr down at the Pro Bowl. The apparent budding bromance between the two has many a fan working themselves into a lather about the possibilities of a Carr/Landry connection on the field.

Next: McMahon Could Giveth What Davis Taketh Away

Either or both would be fantastic additions to the roster, no question about it. But, the Raiders aren’t exactly flush with cash this offseason and GM Reggie McKenzie is going to need to be wise in how he spends his dollars.

Most especially given that All-World Everything Khalil Mack is due for a contract extension, which is going to put even more strain on the salary cap situation.

McKenzie’s been able to work some magic with his contracts for players, but the funds aren’t limitless, which means he’s going to have to pass on some free agents – no doubt, to the chagrin of many.

As nice as it would be to have a Bell and/or Landry supplementing the offense, this isn’t Pokemon, you ain’t gonna catch ’em all.

No, given the wiggle room McKenzie is going to have under the cap, he’s going to have to prioritize getting players this team needs, rather than ones that will make a big splash.

And what this team needs more than anything is help on the defensive side of the ball.

Re-signing NaVorro Bowman seems like a no-brainer and it’s believed the team is making getting him back into the fold a priority. Which is a good first step. But, it’s going to take more than just Bowman to get this defense right.

If the team does as expected and releases Sean Smith and/or David Amerson, they’ll need to supplement the secondary. And they’re desperately going to need a veteran back there.

Gareon Conley may have tremendous upside and may end up being the second coming of Lester Hayes, however, after missing all but a handful of snaps his rookie year, he lacks critical experience. As will anybody they wind up taking in the draft (Joshua Jackson or Denzel Ward anybody?).

The needs the Raiders have on the defensive side of the ball are legion. They need help on every level of the defense and although they might be able to address some of it via the Draft, relying on rookies to have the kind of impact this team needs to take that next step forward is dangerous.

It’s a roll of the dice that this team can’t afford. This team needs veteran help. Guys who can step in on day one and have an impact.

Which means those needs have to be addressed via free agency.

Oakland needs to add solid players and depth on defense more than they need to go after the flash and dazzle a Bell and/or a Landry would provide.

Not to mention the fact that Oakland went offense-heavy in free agency last year and while the players they got in Marshawn Lynch, Jared Cook, and Cordarrelle Patterson weren’t bad, they didn’t help the offense move to another level either.

Though, that has much to do with the ineptitude of the now thankfully, former offensive coordinator, Todd Downing. Most of us have a basket of dirty laundry that could have called a better game.

However, with key elements already in place, the needs the Raiders have on the offensive side of the ball are needs that can – and should – be addressed during the Draft. They should be looking at taking guys they can develop for the longer term, rather than plug and play right now guys.

Oakland is armed with an offense – when deployed properly by a coach who knows his backside from a hole in the ground – that’s capable of standing toe-to-toe with anybody in the league. However, they’re also saddled with a defense that has more holes than your pair of five-year old underwear.

As nice as it would be to have elite level playmakers like Bell and/or Landry – and as splashy as those signings would be – the money the Raiders do have to spend in free agency needs to be prioritized to the team’s biggest area of need. And that’s the defense.

After all, as that old saying goes – and has been proven true more times than not – defense does indeed, win championships. And the hard, ugly truth is that as currently constructed, the Raiders don’t have a defense that looks capable of winning a CIF championship, let alone a Super Bowl.

Home/Las Vegas Raiders News