The Oakland Raiders have a tough AFC West division and numerous roster deficiencies to overcome amid the 2015 offseason. Armed with ample salary-cap room, Oakland figures to be a big player in free agency.
Continue for updates.
Buzz: Raiders Interested in Mike Iupati
CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora names Oakland among the suitors for former San Francisco 49ers guard Mike Iupati.
With the instability going on in San Francisco amid a coaching change, it's hard to envision Iupati fleeing for another Golden State organization undergoing the same shift at the top. If Iupati wants to play elsewhere, though, he wouldn't have to travel far to be a Raider.
Iupati was a key cog in a physical 49ers running game. He brings tenacity to the gridiron, something Oakland desperately needs to regain to get an edge heading into 2015 and a new era.
Report: Oakland Trying to Land Rodney Hudson
Sunday, March 8
Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 reports that Oakland is trying to make up ground after possibly missing out on bigger names, digging into the AFC West open-market talent pool for past Kansas City center Rodney Hudson:
An upgrade on the offensive line is vital to the Raiders' improvement. Hudson would provide that in spades. He's used to paving the way for Jamaal Charles and could do the same in Oakland for whoever is carrying the rock in 2015.
Quarterback Derek Carr needs better pass protection as well. Weakening a division rival is another edge the Raiders would gain by landing Hudson. If Oakland gets both Iupati and Hudson, it'd be quite a haul to help the entire offense.
Report: Raiders Interested in Jordan Cameron
Sunday, March 8
Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports reports that Oakland is coveting Cameron:
A past Cleveland Browns Pro Bowler, Cameron is the type of athletic tight end who can change games with his pass-catching ability. However, he's coming off a down year of sorts, and the Raiders already have a young receiving tight end in Mychal Rivera.
Having two players who can create matchup problems would no doubt help young quarterback Derek Carr. It just seems a bit unnecessary to invest so much there, considering the numerous needs on Oakland's roster.
Sources: Raiders Among Suh's Pursuers
Monday, March 2
Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 in D.C. reports a number of suitors for Detroit Lions superstar Ndamukong Suh, with the Raiders listed among them:
Just about any team aspires to land Suh. He changes the way opposing offenses think about their game plan and would be an ideal fit as a tenacious player and throwback to the Raiders of old.
NFL Network's Albert Breer recently highlighted just how much coin general manager Reggie McKenzie has at his disposal:
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network then raised a fair point in that context:
McKenzie made a lot of bold acquisitions last offseason that didn't pan out. The pressure is on to bring in veterans who aren't over the hill and can contribute to an instant winner. Otherwise, he'll be finding other work following the 2015 campaign in all likelihood.
Suh is the type of splash player Oakland needs to give its loyal fanbase a reason to be excited for the future. Based on the reported agreement in place between Suh and the Miami Dolphins, per ESPN's Chris Mortensen , it appears the Raiders have missed out.
Money wouldn't be a problem. It'd be a matter of McKenzie and the organization convincing Suh that the Raiders are headed in the right direction despite being absent from the playoffs since 2002. And it's up to Suh to weigh the luxury of salary versus the probability of playing for a contender.
Report: Raiders Will Chase Cobb
Monday, March 2
The latest buzz from John Middlekauff of Comcast SportsNet suggests that Oakland will spare no expense in pursuing Green Bay Packers star wide receiver Randall Cobb:
Cobb is capable of lining up outside, in the slot or even in the backfield. The Raiders have a promising young quarterback in Derek Carr who could use such a versatile weapon in the passing game.
Oakland may opt to snag Cobb, but that would blow up most of the mock draft scenarios out there. The mocks mostly imply that the Raiders will grab an elite receiver prospect with the fourth overall pick.
However, that seems to be little more than a pipe dream, because ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Cobb has re-signed with the Green Bay Packers on a four-year, $40 million deal.
Doubling up on playmakers with a free agent other than Cobb and a top-tier rookie would make Carr's job a lot easier.
Based on how much of a passing league the NFL has become and the enormity of cap room the Raiders have to fill other holes through free agency, it wouldn't be a surprise to see such a strategy become reality.
Numerous holes exist on defense, though, and Oakland has to be mindful of that in a division that features three dangerous rival offenses. That side of the ball ought to at least experience some improvement under new coach Jack Del Rio.
from Bleacher Report http://ift.tt/1C1P5vx
via IFTTT March 09, 2015 at 04:00AM
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