Oakland Raiders opening move not splashy, may portend bigger things ahead

Oakland Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie kicked off the free agency period with a move that’s distinctly not splashy, but could portend bigger things to come.

The Oakland Raiders, with limited room under the cap, and a massive payday coming from All World Everything, Khalil Mack in the works, didn’t figure to be massive players on the open market. GM Reggie McKenzie‘s first move though, had a distinct lack of splash to it. In truth, it barely qualifies as a drip.

However, that opening salvo, such as it is, could be a portent of bigger changes on the not-too-distant horizon.

With needs aplenty to fill out this roster – though, most needs seem to be of the defensive flavor – McKenzie’s first signing came straight out of left field. On Monday, McKenzie added free agent Griff Whalen to Oakland’s receivers room.

Griff who? Yeah, that question seems to be pretty common. Go ahead and Google him, we’ll wait.

Following the 2012 Draft, the Indianapolis Colts drafted the UDFA out of Stanford and is probably best known for a disastrous fake punt call in a 2015 – a play that can’t be considered anything but the absolute worst designed fake punt in NFL history.

Whalen was waived by the Colts following that season.

He signed with Miami in March, but was cut before the season began, but caught on with Chargers in September, recording two catches for 22 yards in eight games before being cut again in November.

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In December, the Patriots signed Whalen – and then cut him a week later. The Ravens then picked Whalen up in September 2017, didn’t make the opening day roster, but was brought back in October – before being released again two weeks later.

For his career, the six-foot-ish, 185 pound receiver has appeared in 43 total games, making just three starts. He has 51 receptions for 532 yards and three scores to his credit. He adds depth as a slot receiver, but he also adds value on special teams.

Over his six-year career, he’s returned 47 punts for 378 yards, and 29 kickoffs for 701 yards – never notching a special teams touchdown.

Depth and reliability on special teams is important. It’s likely that Whalen is joining the Raiders simply to provide some camp competition given that running back Jalen Richard fumbled about a thousand punts last season, and receiver Cordarrelle Patterson didn’t exactly light up the return game.

But, it’s also very possible that Whalen’s signing could signal some bigger changes in the works. With McKenzie seeming to put a priority on upgrading the return game – upgrading in the loosest sense of the word here – what does that mean for the job security of Richard and/or Patterson?

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Could McKenzie and Gruden be looking for replacements for one or both? Some have speculated that given the distinct lack of sizzle Patterson brough to the return game, the Raiders could be looking at shedding his $3.25 million dollar salary to create a little more cap space.

Patterson was decent in 2017, but not to put too fine a point on it, he was nothing special. And Whalen could be a cheaper, and just as effective, alternative to him.

Either scenario is possible – camp competition or cheaper alternative But, a free agent since the Ravens cut him in October, any team could have signed him at any time – including the Raiders.

As far as making a splash goes, Whalen’s signing is barely a drip.

Here’s hoping McKenzie has bigger and better tricks up his sleeve when the free agent window officially opens on Wednesday.

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